


Even in the Darkest of Times

by MischiefProlonged



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff, Fred Weasley Lives, Friends to Lovers, Romantic Friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-20
Updated: 2019-07-09
Packaged: 2020-03-08 10:46:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 35
Words: 123,117
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18893071
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MischiefProlonged/pseuds/MischiefProlonged
Summary: The war had ended 5 years ago and yet the dangers in the wizarding world are as present as ever. Hermione and Fred are brought together through the twists and turns of their new life. A friendship that started over secret mischievous partnerships at Hogwarts leads to new feelings in the wake of a post war life. As evil continues to lurk around every corner, can Fred and Hermione finally accept their feelings before it's too late?





	1. Peruvian Darkness

Hermione Granger never though that things would ever feel “normal” in the 5 years after the war. After Voldemort’s defeat, time seemed to stand still as she, Harry and Ron stood together on the bridge overlooking what their lives had become. Each not quite daring to think about what comes next, knowing the countless witches and wizards who were no longer around to worry about their futures. 

Ron and Harry started their training as Aurors as soon as the Ministry had been rebuilt under the direction of Kingsley. They never had the desire to finish their education as they had seen and learned things that no classroom was ever going to be able to match. There was always a sense of urgency with them, like it was their sole responsibility to wipe out the evil in the world. Which was fair because for the past 6 years, it had been. 

Hermione on the other hand, had no desire to continue living her life searching for the dark wizards that still lurked in the shadows. She had tried to return to Hogwarts with the same innocent optimism that she had when she was 11, hoping to fall back into her childhood routine of learning. However each hallway at the castle seemed to bring back a new nightmare for her. She barely made it past her first round of exams before finally giving in and leaving the school for good. She was still able to complete her N.E.W.T.s a year ahead of schedule thanks to the books she had meticulously studied during her time on the run. As soon as her N.E.W.T. scores were posted she immediately began her training as a healer. She could never get rid of the desire to use her knowledge to help people after the horrors she had seen. 

Even now as she trekked down the street of Diagon Alley in the chilly drizzle she mentally ran through the list of patients she had seen during her shift at the hospital just hours before. She groaned internally at the weight of the heavy charts in her bag that she had brought with her to finish at her small flat. 

Pushing open the door of the busiest shop on the street she smiled as the familiar scent of gunpower and cinnamon met her, with the slightest aroma of sick that made her wrinkle her nose. “Oi! Granger, I saw that face!” Exclaimed the redhead standing just along the aisle nearest the door. “How is it we have the most advance cleansing spells at work here and you still know when a puking pastel has gone array?” 

Hermione laughed as she caught a twinkle in George’s eyes. The younger twin had matured considerably since the final battle. He cut his hair shorter now proudly showing off his asymmetric ears. Today he was wearing a bright blue robe and there was a gold band gleamed on his left hand. George wasted no time after the war professing his love to a wonderful witch who, thankfully returned his affection eagerly. Their wedding was the first celebration after the battle that actually brought joy back into their lives. 

“I’m glad to hear it’s from the shop and not something that I’ve brought with me from work. God knows I’ve been vomited on enough times in the past 18 hours.” She retorted back to him. 

George nodded in sympathy as he noted the dark circles under her eyes. “Welcome to the club I guess.” He gestured to her heavy bag, “I can see you’re on your way home at least so you could get some rest but I suppose you being you, that's pretty impossible. What brings you by?” 

She knew full well George already knew exactly why she was here now because it was the same reason she had been stopping every chance she got lately. She paused before asking, “Has there been any news?” 

“None yet,” He sighed and shook his head. “Even Ginny has stopped receiving anything and Mum is going mental with worry. It just so unlike them to go this long without a word, you know?” 

Hermione sighed. Harry and Ron had been on a mission for the ministry for the past 8 months but as their last letter had arrived more than 3 months ago. No one knew anything of their welfare. Never had their missions kept them away this long, especially with Harry and Ginny just starting to plan their wedding prior to their assignment. 

While the war had seemed to many as the end of an era of fear and death, there were still so many threats left. Dark magic and wizards plagued the daily news almost as much as it did in Voldemort’s reign. The Ministry’s Aurors frequently went on dangerous missions to quell the uprisings but when Ron and Harry had gotten their latest assignment something felt different. They had no prior information of where they were going or what they would be doing. Having been given only a few days’ notice there wasn’t much time to worry about details as they packed their things and spent the last few days making sure things were settled at home before saying good buys and leaving. 

They had sent a few letters after that which were passed around the Weasley’s and honorary family members such as Hermione. They were lighthearted at first but after a few months the little they could relay back was dark and had a sense of fear in it. Hermione hadn’t heard Harry sound this crestfallen since after Dumbledore died when they were 16. Then the letters simply stopped coming. While everyone was worried, Ginny had had the hardest time adjusting to the unknown. She had thrown herself into quidditch practice and rarely came around to family dinner’s anymore. Even when she stayed at her and Hermione’s flat during her time off, she just lacked the light that used to emanate from her. Hermione knew that Ginny felt betrayed after Harry said he would never leave her again after getting back from being on the run. But even more so she had a deeper sense that something was wrong, the same feeling she had the entire year the older three spent searching for horcruxes. 

Hermione sighed and returned her attention to George who also looked lost in thought. “They will come back you know? They always do.” George looked up and nodded. 

“I know, I just wish it wasn’t so hard on everyone. They never seemed to consider who they would be leaving if something where to go wrong on these missions.” He shook his head before brightening, “Well as long as you’re here maybe you could go back and convince Fred to take a break from whatever mad scheme he is brewing in the back. He might even be obliged to make you a cuppa for the road.” George winked at her before turning back to the shelves.

Hermione laughed, picturing Fred bent over a chemistry set in a mad scientist lab coat and goggles that she remembered from her muggle upbringing. She may have to bring up a wardrobe change to them in the near future. 

She walked to the back of the store, weaving in and out of kids fawning over the colorful displays. The pale blonde witch at the counter was getting swarmed by children as they itched to purchase their items and rush home to test them out. Verity gave her a quick wave over the tops of the short people that surrounded her and yelled out a quick “Be careful!” as she passed. Never a good sign that a warning was necessary when entering the back room. Hermione cautiously poked her head round the magenta curtain separating the store front from the twin’s workshop. She saw Fred near the opposite was hunched over a cauldron muttering directions to himself as he stirred the potion clockwise. She hated to interrupt him so stayed silent for a few moments before walking forward and sitting on a stool on the opposite wall. 

In her new vantage point she had an opportunity to survey not only her surroundings but the tall wizard working meticulously in front of her. She knew how much work the twin's products took to develop and make. It really as impressive magic and potion skills she remembered thinking a few years back when they had given her a more in depth tour of their production room. During her summer breaks from her training she had taken them up on the opportunity to work part time in the shop. During those hours Fred had shown her how to make many of their products and had been quite impressed at how quickly she picked things up. She huffed slightly that he didn't think she would have the skills to carry out their complex and sometimes rigorous potions. That was one of the only times she had pulled the 'brightest witch of her age' card out which had caused Fred to roll his eyes, not finding it impressive at all. The potion he was working on now didn't look familiar to Hermione so she assumed it must be something new which would require all of his concentration so she held back her urge to interrupt him. 

She scanned the wizard in front of her. His hair, though shorter than it had been as a teenager, was still longer than George's and stood on end, which Hermione knew was a result of his habit of running his had through the locks. She couldn't see them now but she knew that his deep blue eyes would be squinting in concentration as they tossed more ingredients into the cauldron. His features had become more chiseled over the past few years, causing a sharp jawline to become more prominent. Speaking of chiseled, she let her eyes wander appreciatively over the elder twins' back. She could see muscles bunching underneath the dark blue shirt he had worn in contrast to George's bright blue one. The sleeves were rolled up and she saw his forearms flex with each stir of the sticky liquid. Looking lower she blushed surveying his trim figure and sent a quick thanks to whoever made his jeans that showed off his slim hips, long legs and his oh so fabulous --- 

Fred stopped stirring suddenly and with furious quickness added three drops of a mustard yellow substance from a vial. Hermione jumped slightly at the quick movements and brought her eyes back to the concoction on the counter. The cauldron in front of him immediately started smoking and a high pitched squeal erupted into the air. She quickly clamped her hands over her ears to block out the hideous noise and jumped up as Fred frantically ducked below the counter top. He had just looked up and caught her eye, his mouth opening slightly as if to say something, before the potion in the cauldron exploded causing a thick blanket of darkness to consume the room. 

The pitch black that she was now flooded her senses made her eyes water and lungs burn. The air felt thick and gritty as she tried to take a deep breath. Something about the sensation was making her skin crawl and the had the sudden urge to curl up in a ball on the floor to stop the tingling of her flesh. All of the overwhelming sensations was sending her into a panic and she almost forgot where she was. She coughed at the intrusion into her lungs and took a tentative step as she reached out in front of her trying to find a way out. She took a few more steps before bumping into something solid that she immediately latched onto. It took her a second to realize that the object was grabbing her back. Hands gripped her upper arms and she thought she heard vague shouting but her ears were ringing too much to understand. The hands tightened and the next thing she knew she felt the familiar sensation of apparating before landing on a solid floor with blessedly clear, bright air. 

Despite the escape from the suffocating blackness, Hermione could not stop coughing and was gasping for breath. Her skin continued to crawl as she gave into the sensation to fall. Her knees buckled and she collapsed to the floor, partially supported by the wizard in front of her. As she continued to gasp for breath, the burning sensation becoming even worse with each breath. Her vision was becoming spotty and she knew she had to get more air soon. She cursed herself internally, she was a healer and was going to die because she couldn’t bloody breath. Her hand clutched her throat and chest as she continued to wheeze.  
\- -  
The sheer panic that had gripped Fred when he saw Hermione standing at the back of the room as he ducked to avoid the imminent explosion of his new potion was terrifying. He inhaled sharply franticaly wondering how she had got passed the wards he cast earlier on the back room to not allow any entrance when he was working on the dangerous product. He had cast the wards, right? he cursed himself quickly, knowing the distracted state he had been in when he first arrived in the back, eager to finally put the finishing touches on his masterpiece. Knowing the dangers of the potion he had cast protective spells about himself prior to working on it to make sure that what was happening to Hermione now did not happen to him if something were to go array. As the shrieking of the potion above him continued, there was a load bang and the room was encased in darkness. The protective shield around him allowed him to see vague shapes but enough to be able to maneuver his was to standing and then to the struggling witch. Across the room he saw easily through the darkness to the small witch who was holding one hand over her mouth and the other reaching out into the air. If he didn't know the agony she must be going through right now the sight of her blindly searching in the dark would be almost amusing to him. 

He reached her in seconds, gripping her tight before apparating to the flat above the shop. The room was dim with the cloud cover outside and Fred quickly looked down at the woman in front of him, his fear returned when her symptoms did not immediately resolve when removed from the toxic environment like they were supposed to. She didn’t even look at him before falling to the ground in a fit of coughing. He quickly bent down with her, supporting her shoulders and muttered spells under his breath to help her breath. He was no healer but after years of working with George he had learned enough spells to correct whatever ailments their failed inventions caused. 

After several agonizing minutes of the spells slowly doing their work, Hermione’s harsh coughing eased considerably and the wheezing became less noticeable. Her shoulders still seemed to heave with every breath and her head lolled forward onto his arm, exhausted from her fight to breathe. Fred slipped an arm around the unconscious witch's back and knee before scooping her up from the floor and bringing her to the couch where he gently rested her down and knelt in front of her. His concerned eyes scanned her face which was tipped back on the back of the couch, “Hermione, look at me." He said somewhat forcefully trying not to let his panic seep through to his voice. She should have immediately gotten better when leaving the room so when the potion continued to affect her Fred grew more fearful of the unknown results. "Hermione, you need to open your eyes and look at me.” 

Her eyelashes fluttered as she slowly registered someone speaking to her. Hands were touching her face, brushing back the hair that was tickling her neck before resting there and gently lifting her head up. She slowly blinked opened her eyes not into the darkness she had expected but to the midnight blue eyes filled with concern looking back at her. Confused she looked around taking in her surroundings before settling back on the Weasley twin, events of the past few minutes came rushing back to her and causing her to shudder. She closed her eyes briefly against the memory of the horrid sensations she had experienced and looked sharply back at Fred. “All I wanted was a cup of tea,” She croaked out. 

At her statement Fred breathed a sigh of relief and chuckled, shaking his head. The panic and tension leaving his muscles as he scanned her dark brown eyes looking back at him. “For such a humorless goody two shoes you sure have a knack for making jokes at the wrong time.” She smiled slightly before resting her head back on the couch, closed her eyes and sighed. She looked relatively alright to him as he did a quick once over, and he was satisfied that her her breathing had returned to normal after his spells helped sooth what must have been the intense burning in her lungs. Cursing himself and his stupidity he gave her knee a squeeze before dropping next to her on the couch. 

They sat in silence for a few minutes as the adrenaline wore off and Fred continued to mentally berate himself for putting anyone in danger by not warding the room. He was never so thoughtless when working on a new product but his dreams had kept him up all night and even George stopping in with breakfast could not clear his mind. He tried to remember what else he may have missed in his morning endeavors when he felt Hermione shift, turning her body so she could face him. “So are you going to tell me what I almost died for?” She asked accusingly. 

He opened one eye and looked over at her. She was starting at him with an intensity that made him flinch. He knew that she was well aware of the wards used to keep people out of the back room during development of dangerous potions and that she had most definitely demised he forgot to put them up given the recent events. The low bun he assumed her long hair had been neatly pulled into prior to the accident was coming loose and tendrils of curly hair were now framing her face. He had the urge to reach out and tuck the pieces behind her ear if he was sure his hand wouldn't get bitten off. He sheepishly turned his head towards her. “Well you will be happy to know that it did exactly what I wanted it to do, sort of.” She raised her eyebrows in mild shock.

“No, no, I didn’t mean for you to get caught up in it. It wasn’t meant for you.” He quickly explained and continued, “It’s a form of the Peruvian darkness powder for our new defense line. With the attacks becoming more frequent we wanted to start making products that people could keep on them to use if they were ever in need. Jokes are well and good but George and I decided it was time we start using our skills and product base for things that could actually keep people safe too.” 

“The one you walked in to is supposed to render the room uninhabitable for everyone but the user, giving them an escape route. Instead of just darkness it consumes the victim causing all of their senses to be overloaded. I don't need to tell you that the effect is quite powerful. The user is automatically protected and can flee. Hence why you got the short end of it.” He smirked slightly, “Though I guess I should thank you for being such a great test subject.” 

She swatted at his shoulder just as George burst through the door of the flat. He looked wildly around before his gaze rested on Fred and Hermione sitting comfortably on the couch. “Bloody hell!" He exclaimed marching over to them. "I walked into the back and it looked like a volcano had erupted there was so much soot! And then neither of you were there I thought you may have been blown up. What the hell happened?” He looked at his twin pointedly. 

“Well you remember that new darkness powder I had mentioned I was going to work on today?" Understanding suddenly flooded George's eyes as his mouth fell open. "Well Hermione sort of walked into it.” Fred said carefully, knowing the berating he would be receiving from his twin later for not putting up the shield charms on the back and allowing their friend to walk into a disaster. 

George groaned and rubbed his temple, “Gods Hermione, I’m so sorry! I completely forgot what Fred was working on back there and I sent you right into it.” Fred noted that he did not bring up anything about the lack of charms that would have prevented her from having access to the room in the first place. 

Hermione laughed at the daggers George was shooting at his twin before coughing slightly, “It’s really alright. Not the first time I’ve been at the brunt end of a Wheezes product and I’m sure it won’t be the last. Though," She turned and looked at Fred. "I'd appreciate a bit of a warning next time, maybe hang a sign?" Her eyes twinkled knowing the guilt he must be feeling over the wards. 

“You're okay though?" George asked. "I know what Fred had been planning that potion to do and it didn’t sound like a fun experience for the person on the other end.” 

Remembering the crawling sensation and burning in her lungs Hermione shook her head. “No definitely not, though you’ll be happy to know it worked perfectly. If I was after someone and they dropped that in the room, I definitely would have been too preoccupied to continue my pursuit.” She rubbed at her eyes suddenly feeling the exhaustion of the day catch up with her. “But I really should be getting home. I work tomorrow and after this lovely, relaxing visit I feel like I could sleep all week.” 

She stood up to go and Fred rose with her catching her arm with his hand. “Again, Hermione I am so sorry. Are you sure you feel well enough to travel? You are more than welcome to stay here for the night.” He stared at her concerned as she nodded.

“Don't worry, I’ll be just fine." She tried to make her smile convincing enough. "Though if you don’t mind I think I’ll use the Floo system? Apparating does not sound appealing at the moment.” Fred nodded and watched as she stepped forward and disappeared in green flames. 

He sighed after the fireplace died down and turned back into the room running his fingers through his hair. He looked up and caught the smirking gaze of his twin. “What?” He asked sternly. 

George chuckled, “Look I think this little crush of yours has gotten somewhat out of hand. Surely you could have found some other way to make Granger breathless?” George barely had time to raise his hands in defense before a throw pilled smacked into his face.


	2. Coming home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Apologies and dinner at the Burrow

The ringing of her alarm jolted Hermione awake a few days later. Thankfully the effects of her mishap at the shop had worn off by the next day and she had been able to work the last four days of her week without any difficulty. Though she had bee plagued with nightly dreams of another, darker time when her entire body had been flooded with excruciating sensations. She wondered where the twins had pulled inspirations for their potion from and made a mental note to ask during her next visit. Climbing out of bed she ran a mental list of everything she need to get done today as it was her first day off in ages and the first Sunday in weeks. After showering and dressing in loose, faded jeans, a dark green long sleeve shirt and a thick scarf to ward off the cold she padded into the kitchen of her flat to retrieve her beloved morning coffee. Her loose, damp hair swaying behind her as she walked.

After taking her first sip she hummed happily and turned to look out over the living room of her and Ginny's small flat. The first rays of dawn were just starting to fall over the coffee table and faded blue rug. She suddenly let out a shriek when she saw a head poking up from over the back of her couch. Knowing Ginny was still in Ireland for practice her heart leaped in panic wondering at who the intruder could be. Almost spilling her coffee she set the cup on the island and with her wand in one hand, flipped on the lights in the living room. 

Fred had turned on the couch and was smiled back at her, “Morning Granger!” He threw the paper he was reading onto the coffee table and stood up to join her in the kitchen. She watched in shock, still frozen with her wand ready as he picked up her coffee mug and took a big sip and grimaced. “Ugh, what is this stuff?” 

Finally relaxing and placing the want back on the counter she grabbed the mug back from him, “You know very well what it is and that you haven't liked it before. Fred, what are you doing here?” Not that she was unhappy about his sudden appearance, though he could have at least let her know he was coming over so she wouldn't hex him to oblivion. T hank god she had taken the time to get ready before making her way to the kitchen. She blushed slightly thinking about him seeing her in the silk sleeping shorts and tank that she had worn to bed. 

Fred didn't notice the slight flush creeping to Hermione's cheeks as she took another sip of her beverage. Leaning against the counter top he answered, “Well since we hadn’t seen you after our lovely encounter at the shop I figured I’d stop in and make sure you weren’t dead or something. You know, be a responsible person.” Yes, while true he wanted to clear his mind that his potion hadn't had any lasting effects, he also wanted to make sure that the fiery witch wasn't holding a grudge against him for being an idiot for letting it happen in the first place. 

She rolled her eyes and went about the kitchen gathering breakfast cereal and a bowl. She sat down to eat at the island counter. “You really think that if I had died because of your experiment that I wouldn’t come down to the shop and haunt you both?” She took a bite of cereal and pointed her spoon at him. “Trust me, you would be the first person on my list to know if I died.” 

He laughed picturing ghost her appearing suddenly at the shop to yell at him about her untimely death. There was no doubt that she would stick around and critique every potion and spell he did until the end of time. He grabbed a bowl from her cupboard before pouring himself a large helping of cereal. 

“That’s my cereal,” She said slightly put out. She watched as he took a large bite and swallowed before speaking again. 

“Yes it is, thanks for noticing.” He chewed a few more bites wishing he had noticed before he started eating that it wasn’t the same sugary cereal he enjoyed at his own place. “Though you could invest in some better stuff if I’m going to be coming around for breakfast.” He looked distastefully down at the not colorful or sweet brown mush now floating in his bowl. 

She snorted and they finished the rest of their breakfast. She got up to place her dishes in the sink. If she had any hope of getting everything accomplished that she had planned she should be leaving. Fred placed his now empty bowl next to hers in the sink and performed a quick cleansing spell. He turned to see her pulling boots out of the closet as well as a thin gray jacket. He frowned at her obvious hurry to leave. “Well I appreciate you coming to check on me but really I’m fine. And don't worry about what happened, I'm not upset with you about it. Glad to help really it if helped to actually test the product out." She looked up at him still standing in her kitchen. "I do have to run some errands today so will have to kick you out, sorry.” She shot him an apologetic glance. 

He went to stand next to her near the door and pulled his grey trainers on. “What sort of errands? I’ve the day off, I could go with if you’d like some company?” Not exactly true as he was supposed to be restocking some supplies at the shop, but George would forgive him a few hours work if he knew who had distracted him. 

She looked up at him almost wishing that his offer didn’t just feel to her like a way to apologize for what had happened. With Ron and Harry gone she had placed herself into the middle of the twin’s lives as a way to cope with the loneliness. Over the past few months between work and stopping at the shop or twin's flat, she had spent less and less time in her empty flat. She would help out at the shop if it was needed during a rush, or help whichever twin was making products in the back. Then there were Thursday dinners which were now her favorite day of the week. She had started staying nights at their place when she was scheduled for an early morning shift and needed the extra push of breakfast being prepared by the other early riser in the place. She had known the twins since she was 11 and while they were friends she didn't anticipate how much closer they had become. And she definitely never expected to slowly develop feelings for the elder twin in her time spent with him. A sense of guilt overcame her as she thought about Ron once again. They had been in an off period when he left but there was almost a sense of expectation on his part that she would be waiting for him when he returned.

After the war she and Ron fulfilled everyone’s expectations of them being a couple. After their kiss in the Chamber of Secrets and in the jubilation they felt with Voldemort being gone, they simply fell into an easy relationship. But after the first two years their usual fighting would increase to the point where he and Hermione couldn’t even be in the same room together. They would break up and then a few weeks later reconcile and go back to being the perfect, loving couple. It was exhausting and Hermione seemed to be the only one bothered by it. The last time they had broken up Ron had been upset that she was spending so much time at work and not with him. She had told him that her work mattered as much as his and if he couldn’t accept that then maybe he didn't love her at all. The old Ronald reared his ugly head then as he said he was tired of being second choice to everything in her life and had stormed out. That was months before he and Harry left on their mission, the longest period of time they had been apart as a couple. Before they left Ron had made a few comments to her that he was interested in getting back together when he got back, which left a sinking feeling in her stomach. She knew that they couldn’t keep the cycle of anger going and that she would never again be in a relationship with Ronald Weasley. The last year not having him around had in a way been good for her though she missed them terribly. It had help her grow into her own person and understand what she really wanted out of a relationship. She had gone on dates in his absence but none of them ever felt right to actually continue with anything further. 

Fred on the other hand had always been warm and welcoming to her. Yes he and George had given her hell in school and she had given it right back, but once they both had grown up after the war they got along quite well. They exchanged banter at each Sunday dinner at the Burrow and he always seemed to be interested in her stories about work which Ron had never been. After her friends left he was the one to start inviting her to have dinner with him and George on Thursdays when they closed the shop earlier for inventory. He always made her smile and she found herself looking more and more forward to their weekly dinners and seeing him in the shop when she stopped in. Before long she was harboring a crush on her ex-boyfriend’s older brother. She knew that he would never see her in any way but the know-it-all book worm he grew up with who threatened to tattle on him to his mother, and for now that was fine with her. She enjoyed his friendship too much to let her feelings ruin that. 

“Honestly you really don’t have to.” She told him. “I have to swing by St. Mungos for a few hours to finish some charting and then pick up some things that your mom requested before heading to the Burrow. Nothing too exciting and I’m sure you would rather spend your day off doing something actually enjoyable. Besides, I’ll see you later for dinner though at the Burrow. Finally have the day off to make it ti dinner.” She said brightly. 

He looked momentarily displeased before smiling and saying he'd see her later before apparating away. Hermione sighed, it would have been nice the spend the day together but between her thoughts of Ron, her feelings for the twin and the true unexcitement of her day, she felt like she needed some time away from him. She slipped on her short brown boots and went to the flat's fireplace to Floo to the hospital. 

\--

Later in the afternoon Hermione landed on the apparation site just outside of the Burrow’s garden. The area had grown massively since the destruction of the burrow and she weaved her way through plants and large rocks, dodging gnomes as they ran in front of her. The wonky house in front of her made her smile as it always did. This place had been her safe haven as a child and now was her home. She could hear laughter and music coming through the open window as she passed on her way to the door. Entering she found Mr. and Mrs. Weasley dancing slowly in the kitchen. Mrs. Weasley with an apron on and wooden spoon in her hand, Mr. Weasley with some form of chocolate framing his lips. They spun and laughed together as Hermione had seen them do on multiple occasions since being initiated into the family so many years ago. She smiled knowing they hadn't noticed her over the music and she set down her packages on the table and thought of her own parents. 

After the war Hermione had enlisted the help of Kingsley and a small group of aurors in an attempt to locate them. With their memories erased apparently once her parents had landed in Australia they were virtually untraceable with no connection to the wizarding world to give their location away. Multiple trips were made in the first year to try and locate them but there was no sign of Monica and Wendell Wilkins. After another year of searching and being disappointed Kingsley had told her there was nothing else they could do. She made several trips by herself but when she found nothing she had to resign herself that she may never see her parents again. When she returned from her last trip Mrs. Weasley had found her sobbing in the garden. The older woman had wrapped Hermione into one of her hugs and told her that she was not alone, that she had been a part of their family since the day Ronald came home raving about his new friends. She was an honorary Weasley daughter and had received much teasing from the redheads about dying her hair to “finally make it official.” 

Lost in the memory she accidentally dropped a parcel loudly on the table causing her adopted parents to look up in surprise. 

“Oh Hermione! Welcome home dear!” Mrs. Weasley rushed to her and enveloped her in a warm, familiar hug. She pulled back cupping the younger witches cheek, “It has been far too many weeks since you have come around for Sunday’s.” The warm scent of cinnamon wafted around her and she grinned knowing exactly where the twins got their signature scent from. 

“I know, I really am sorry but work has been crazy and apparently Draco has had other commitments forcing me to take shifts on Sundays recently.” Draco Malfoy to everyone’s surprise had started his healer training after he and his mother finished their trial at the Ministry. Hermione’s surprise that their childhood bully had even the slightest inclination to help people must have been quite obvious when he showed up beside her on his first shift. He told her to close her mouth otherwise she’d catch flies, and then spent the next hour apologizing for his behavior when they were younger. Oddly they had become good work friends, exchanging stories and banter during their breaks and when passing report off to the other. He had changed considerably and had quite the knack for healing as Hermione had discovered. 

Mrs. Weasley nodded before releasing her and gestured to the living room where she could hear multiple voices talking over one another. “Why don’t you go and enjoy some company and we’ll be out when dinner is ready.” 

In the living room the sight made her heart swell. She forgot how much she had missed getting together with the younger Weasleys with her absence at the past few weeks of dinners. George and his wife Alicia sat together on the couch with their daughter Roxanne grabbing at a small doll between them. Percy and his new girlfriend Audrey were sitting around the coffee table playing wizards chess, Audrey a loud contrast to Percy’s silent contemplation of the board. She already knew Bill and Fleur weren’t coming as Fleur was close enough to her due date with their second child that they didn’t want to risk traveling. Fred was at the other end of the couch talking behind Alicia’s head to his twin about some business deal or another. He was still dressed in the same jeans and sweatshirt he had been wearing at breakfast this morning though there seemed to be a small scorch mark on the left shoulder that she hadn't remembered noticing earlier. Hermione walked over and sat on the couch in the open space beside Fred. He jumped slightly in surprise having been absorbed in his conversation to even notice the petite witch prior to her sitting down. Well that wasn’t entirely true, he thought. He had smelled her familiar scent of vanilla and berries that always seemed to waft off of her skin but put it down as wishful thinking before she entered his site. 

“Granger,” He smiled in greeting. “Imagine seeing you here. Almost like our earlier visit wasn’t enough for you.” He winked at her. 

“What earlier visit?” Alicia asked from Hermione's left, turning her attention away from her daughter. 

Hermione rolled her eyes knowing full well where the dark haired witch’s mind had gone. Anything involving a girl and her husband's twin automatically became her business. And knowing of Fred's crush on the intelligent witch next to her a morning of them together definitely caught her attention. Not looking away from Fred, Hermione went on to explain. “Well Fred tried to kill me a few days ago and came over this morning to grovel and complain about my cereal.” 

Everyone turned to look at her at the mention of their brother attempting murder, curiosity in their eyes knowing that there was a good story behind this. Hermione looked pointedly at Fred and he sighed before telling the tale of his mishap in the shop tactfully leaving out the part where he almost fell into a panic when she lost consciousnesses. 

“Fred you’re lucky she didn’t hex you into next week with that stunt.” Percy snorted, “Almost killed the brightest-witch-of-her-age, McGonagall would hunt you down, you know?” 

The thought of the Hogwarts Headmistress hunting anyone down was enough to make one shudder. Fred cringed internally at every mention of him almost killing Hermione. He hadn’t been able to get the memory of her struggling to breath from his mind since the accident. Stopping in this morning was reassuring that she was in fact alright. But seeing her like that had done nothing for his state of constant worry for her not to mention the bloody nightmares that had decided she was a good addition to add. He nudged Hermione amid the laughter from his family and she looked up at him questioningly. Knowing she saw the apology in his face she gave his leg a pat and smiled slightly before returning to join the conversation about the best way to hide from Minerva McGonagall. 

Charlie floo’d in a few minutes later and Hermione immediately jumped up to hug the older Weasley. He had become a bit of a confidant for Hermione during the length of her turbulent relationship with his younger brother as well as after the loss of her parents. Not to mention that she has been the only person who guessed his secret and was therefore the only one for him to talk to about it. He whispered something into her ear as he released her from the hug causing her to giggle and shake her head. 

Fred felt a twinge of jealousy watching how enthusiastically Hermione hugged his older brother. He had been her close friend for the better part of the past year but there was something between Charlie and Hermione that he could never quite place. He wished her face lit up for him as it did for his older brother. 

\--

Dinner was, as always, a chaotic affair with dishes heaped with food flying across the table as multiple different conversations filled the dining room air. Hermione was sat across from Fred and George next to Charlie and Percy. She was deep in conversation about Percy’s work with the regulation of magical creatures when they all heard a loud POP from the dining room. The conversations died and they all turning toward the doorway as slim redheaded witch walked in. She still held the same downcast air about her that they had come to expect lately from Ginny Weasley but she had a bright smile plastered across her face. This would be her first time to Sunday dinner in months after she had decided that work needed to take precidence over evrerything else in her life during her wait for Harry. She had even put wedding planning on hold, not wanting to think about her missing fiance. Molly let out a happy gasps as her daughter came into view and quickly rose to envelope her in a hug, her eyes shining with unshed tears. After a quick peck on her cheek she released her only to have her place taken up by Hermione. 

“You alright?” She whispered in her friend’s ear.

Ginny nodded against Hermione’s head and pulled back with a watery smile before addressing everyone else. “I’ve missed you all so much. I’m sorry about being so mopey these past few months and not being around. It’s been hard with Quidditch and then with Harry…” She trailed off. “But I’ve decided to take some time off from practice at least until there is word and I can stop obsessing." She paused and looked around to her family. "So I guess that means I’m coming home.” There were whoops from the Weasleys who had missed their younger sister dearly over the past few months and Mrs. Weasley gave a watery laugh. 

Fred and George having stood from their seats, came at her from both sides with a strong hug that Hermione had to duck to avoid getting caught in. They whispered something in Ginny’s ear that made her laugh before pulling away and pushing her to the seat on their end of the table. They finished eating happily, all of them noting each laugh Ginny gave to her niece who was attempting to spoon food into her mouth without success.


	3. Hidden affections

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An attack and dinner with a twist

A few weeks later Hermione jogged up to the shop door just as Fred was flipping the closed sign in the front window. He caught her eye and quickly opened the door for her, ushered her inside before grabbing her hand tightly as she walked by him. She glanced down in surprise as his strong grip enveloped her fingers. This wasn't exactly his typical greeting. 

“Hermione what were you doing outside? Are you mental?” His voice had an edge to it that surprised Hermione and she faltered in her smile of greeting.

She looked around slightly bewildered, “What are you talking about? It’s Thursday? I’m always here on Thursday.” 

He ran his hand through his hair and glanced worriedly out the window. The evening light was slowly decreasing which gave a purple glow to the empty street outside. “Didn't you get my letter?" When she shook her head he let go of her hand, sighed and explained. "There was an attack a few hours ago in the alley. A small group of them came down the street and someone got hurt. I don’t know the full details or if the Aurors caught any of them but they issued early closure for today until more information could be found. We heard it happening and were able to get all the customers out the back before the Ministry officials issued the order." 

Hermione looked outside, understanding now why the normally bustling streets had been so vacant on her way here. This would have been the fourth attack in the alley during the past month, how little things had changed. Fred looked down at her in her navy healing scrubs that gave the slightest hint to the slim figure underneath. “I owled you at the hospital to let you know to use floo. Guess I was a little late huh?” 

“Sorry, I really didn’t know. It was a mad house today and I could barely escape for lunch.” She smiled warily. Fred was not one to get upset so when he did it was for good reason. 

“Well speaking of food," He returned lightly. "Georgie is upstairs fixing dinner with Alicia. And as long as you’re down here I’d like to get your opinions on some ideas we’re throwing about for the defense line.” He pulled the window shades shut and cast multiple protective spells over the front before gesturing to the counter where he had a large notebook opened to a page marked with random, messy phrases that made Hermione’s inner student cringe. 

They discussed ideas for shield charm bracelets, instant disguises and alarm systems until George called up to them that dinner was ready. 

Alicia smiled as they both reach the flat. Although the space now was technically only Fred’s residence, they used it as a gathering area even more then when they had all actually lived there. Fred enjoyed the constant flux of visitors as it made him feel less alone after his twin moved out. As they ate and laughed he kept having his eyes drawn back to the witch sitting across from him. He never tired of watching her smile as it lit up her slightly tanned features and made her eyes shine. In school he had a hard time not noticing the girl as she and Potter were always around his little brother. She had become a fixture in his family since day one and was always sticking her nose into George and his pranks which she somehow always ended up helping them carry out in the end. Miss prefect definitely had a mischievous side to her that not many got the chance to see. He had always looked forward to her ministrations as they usually added an extra flair that their mischief was missing. 

Then at some point he slowly started to see her as more than just Ickle Ronnikins best friend. The girl had matured and with the continued fight to keep her danger prone best friend out of the clutches from Voldemort, a new seriousness had enveloped her. He watched her become and amazing witch before his eyes and had finally acknowledged his feelings sometime around her 5th year when she secretly helped with the set up their grand exit from Hogwarts once and for all. It was one of the only times he had seen her laugh that entire year with all of the changes that the she-devil Umbridge had enforced. Before he and George left for good he caught her and profusely thanked her for her part in their plan. She had thoroughly threatened him that if he told anyone of her actions she would put him in a body binding curse for all eternity. Then she had laughed and hugged him tight and wished him the best with his and George’s future endeavors. 

They kept in touch over the next year and she had given excellent advice in the making of many of the products of Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes. His feelings had only grown with each letter he received from her and he had plans to tell her how he felt the summer before the trio left but with George’s accident and the chaos of planning Bill and Fleur’s wedding there was never the right time. Then before he knew it she had disappeared with Ron and Harry. No word came from them until Ron returned suddenly at Christmas raving about their living conditions and how he couldn’t get back to them after he made the snap decision to leave. Fred had raged for days knowing Ron had left Hermione and Harry in the woods by themselves while they hunted for some of the most dangerous artifacts in the wizarding word. He still didn’t know if he had forgiven him for it. Hermione sure had though which was evident when Fred finally saw her again during the final battle. 

He had just made a crack at Percy about his ability to joke when he caught site of her. She had been running through the halls clutching at Ron’s hand as they dodged curses being flung at them. She was thinner from her year of eating little more than fish and mushrooms. Her cheekbones were more prominent but her eyes held the fiery determination he remembered from before. He sent a disarming jinx at a Deatheater who had been pointing his wand at her at the same time Hermione threw a stunning spell at him. She caught his eye and he smiled happily at her. Then the next thing he knew he was waking up in St. Mungos being told that he had almost died because a bloody wall fell on him. Of all the ways to go he never thought that it would be buried under a pile of stones. 

When he finally recovered enough to go home, Hermione and Ron were already a couple and he sat by while the witch he wanted to be with laughed with his younger brother. He pushed his feelings down over the next few years as he watched their relationship slowly unravel. His brother was a true idiot for letting this girl get away, Fred thought as he shook his head slightly, drawing his gaze back to her. 

She had changed so much from her teenage years at Hogwarts. Her personality as well as her body had matured further into the young woman she was today. Her bushy hair was significantly calmed down since her school years and her curls now hung loosely down her back and shoulders. The once mousey color having grown into a rich chocolate brown that shone as the curls bounced when she laughed at George's stories. She looked almost exotic to him with her large eyes and his heart raced when he saw her. Her face was bare, never needing any makeup to cover her creamy complexion and dark eyes. His gaze fell to her berry pink lips that seemed to be fuller than he remembered. He had a quick thought of kissing those lips to see if they tasted like the berries they looked like which made his heart beat even faster. 

“Fred?” A voice pulled him out of his musing as he found the chocolate eyes staring at him from across the table. 

“Hm? Sorry, what?” He pulled his thoughts together feeling thoroughly embarrassed being caught in his appreciation of her before looked back at the witch. George and Alicia snuck knowing amused glances at each other. 

“I asked if it was alright if I stayed here tonight? I’ve got to be up early tomorrow and my flat is having some work done on it this evening that unfortunately means they have turned off my hot water.” She had spent the night at the twin’s flat many times in the past when she hadn’t wanted to be alone at hers or when she was just too exhausted to get home. With George moved out she had been able to actually have a room to stay in instead of crashing on the couch like usual. 

“Oh sure, of course.” Fred replied quickly. “You know you’re always welcome to stay if you need.” 

She smile back at him and briefly wondered what he had been thinking as he stared at her just a minute ago before she turning to the others and launching into a story about a patient who came in today because of a nasty accident with a broom. 

\--

Later in the evening after George and Alicia had left to collect their daughter from the Burrow and go home, Fred and Hermione sat in companionable silence in the living room. Hermione had charts spread about her that she scribbled in now and then while Fred kept his eyes trained on the muggle television set. It had been a gift from Hermione after he had been fascinated by one on a trip to muggle London with her a few months back. He flipped through channels but he couldn’t help from glancing at the witch sitting at the other end of the couch. She had her legs crossed underneath her and muttered to herself as she twirled a curl around the hand not holding her quill. 

She sighed and without looking up said, “I can feel you looking at me.” 

He quickly glanced away before laughing and looking back. “Sorry, I was just thinking that you work far too hard.” 

She nodded still skimming the paperwork in front of her. “I agree. But with so many attacks happening recently we have had a higher volume of patients than usual and everyone has been working overtime. I was lucky to even get out of there tonight instead of crashing in an on-call room.” She rubbed her eyes and looked at him. “I really thought that when the war ended we wouldn’t have to do this anymore. That I wouldn’t see people laying in hospital beds barely holding on to their life after they were attacked or tortured.” 

He saw a flash of something move across her eyes as she searched his face. He put the TV on mute and turned fully to face her waiting for her to continue. He noted the tone of anger in her voice but also heard the exhaustion. 

“I thought we did it, Fred,” She continued quietly, not looking at him. “I really thought that we had saved the world and everything would be good now. It’s been 5 years and I’m still living with the same terror I did when I was 17.” Her voice broke slightly as she looked down to her lap. He instinctively reached out and covered her knee with his hand, stroking his thumb over the top to comfort her. She glanced at his hand but made no movement to stop him. 

“Hermione what you, Harry and Ron did was more than anyone should have asked of teenagers. You saw things that most adults wouldn’t even dream of and yet you survived. We all survived. You three defeated the greatest evil this world has ever known. And yes horrible things keep happening but Hermione,” He paused waiting for her to look up at him again. “These things will pass. Each day the Aurors catch more and more Deatheaters. Just think of how many Ronnikins and Potter must have brought in already. That’s probably why it’s taking them so long. You know Harry thinks it’s his personal responsibility to rid the world of Voldemort’s followers. He wouldn’t be boy-wonder if he didn’t now would he?” He raised his eyebrows up at her making her laugh slightly. 

“I know,” She sighed. “You’re right of course. I just can’t help but feel like I’m not doing enough. For years I was right alongside them fighting. We were together through every battle and now I feel like I’m stuck on the sidelines while my best friends continue to risk their lives without me.” She sniffed thinking of the horrible possibility of what may have happened to them on their journey. 

Shaking her head quickly she closed the chart in front of her. She refused to even entertain the notion of never seeing her friends again. Tossing the folder onto the stack on the coffee table she slid closer to Fred and tucked herself next to his warmth. “So what are we watching?” She said too brightly. 

Fred’s eyebrows furrowed at her sudden dismissal of their conversation but he understood that she needed a distraction from her thoughts. He slung his arm round the back of the couch and returned his gaze to the TV having entirely forgotten himself. A giant gorilla swung across the screen climbing up a large building with what looked like a woman in its hand. 

“I honesty have not a clue what is going on right now.” He said bluntly. “Is this really real? Because if muggles have giant gorillas and they are hiding them somewhere we need to find them now.” 

Hermione’s laugh drifted up from beside him as she rested her head on his shoulder and started to explain the plot of King Kong. They watched together until the end when Fred looked down and saw that Hermione’s eyes were closed in sleep. Her features were more peaceful than they had been earlier in the evening. He knew how she felt as he too felt helpless in the growing fear the encompassed his and everyone else's world. 

He sighed and decided against moving the exhausted witch. Settling instead to kick his feet up on the coffee table and place a pillow behind his head before dropping his arm from the back of the couch to cover Hermione’s shoulders. She shifted in her sleep and draped an arm across his lap as she nestled her face further into his chest. Fred smiled and let his head fall back letting himself fall into one of the most peaceful sleeps he had had in quite a while. 

\--

Hermione woke with a start coming out of one of her less severe nightmares. She slowly became aware of her surroundings with the movement below her and an arm about her waist. Looking up she saw a familiar face, snoring lightly. She had somehow ended up draped partly across Fred’s chest as they both lay fully on the couch. Fred’s arm unconsciously gripped her tighter as she tried to slowly get up. She froze with the movement and looked back at him, still asleep he had turned his head toward his other arm that was bent above his head. She watched him, studying his features. The war had hardened him as any near death experience should. He now had lines on his forehead put there by worry, ones that she wished she could smooth away with her hands. He never showed his worry and frustration to anyone but George, however she had spent enough time with him to pick up on the times when his cheery demeanor masked what he was truly feeling. She knew he had nightmares just like she did of what happened during those years of violence. The times she had spent at the flat before she often woke up at night hearing him cry out in his sleep in the room next door. She found him in the morning many times watching TV in the living room with bags under his eyes, knowing he had not slept at all. 

He had almost died that night. The memory was one Hermione could never erase from her mind and one she relived at night almost as often as her own personal horrors. She couldn’t imagine what it must have been for him to have almost lost everything. To wake up confused to see your entire family crying at your bedside telling you that you were almost obliterated from the world. 

She reached up to trace his jaw line with her fingers scraping across the stubble that had developed over the past day. Her heart fluttered being this close to him but she shook her head and pushed herself the rest of the way off of him and the couch. Pushing her feelings down deep inside her she made her way to the bathroom to get ready for work. Thankfully she kept a few sets of clothes in the spare bedroom for her visits. 

She smelt bacon as she came out of the room a half hour later, pulling her hair into a quick pony tail as she stepped into the kitchen. Fred was standing at the stove humming to himself, wearing a horribly dirty apron with a large set of lips and “kiss the cook” written across the top. She chuckled as he noticed her looking at his apron. He held his arms out, closed his eyes and puckered his lips waiting for the kiss the apron was telling her to give. She moved over to him and reached around to grab a strip of bacon before retreating to a stool without following instructions. 

“Now that’s cruel Granger.” He scowled at her. “We spend the night together and I don’t even get a good morning kiss?” 

She made a rude hand gesture and continued to chew her bacon before reaching for the paper on the counter. The headline on the front page caught her eye as she quickly read the article. “Fred,” She said looked up at him as she finished reading. “Fred the attack yesterday, it was Mr. Anders.” 

Fred frowned as he came to stand by her to look at the paper over her shoulder. “From the jewelry store a few doors down? Jacob Anders?” 

Hermione nodded waiting for him to finish the article about the savage murder of the stout older gentleman. His attackers were still at large and because this was just the most recent in a string of attacks in the Alley, the Ministry had decided to implement new rules similar to the ones during the war. No one was allowed in the Alley after dark and during the day there would be ministry officials paroling the streets making sure the shoppers got around safely. This was going to hurt business for everyone... again. 

“Hermione,” Fred said frowning when he finished reading. “Maybe from now on you should just floo or apparate into the shop when you come over. You usually get off late when it’s already dark and George and I have talked about it before. With so many attacks lately we would just feel more comfortable without you wandering the streets alone.” 

She was about to launch into a protest about to say how she was perfectly capable of taking care of herself but she saw the genuine worry in his eyes and closed her mouth. She finally nodded in agreement and Fred squeezed her shoulder in thanks before returning to their breakfast. He didn’t continue humming though, his thoughts now consumed by images of the witch in his kitchen getting attacked in the streets like Mr. Anders had. He knew she was more than capable of taking care of herself but there was still a sense of dread that drove him to make sure she was safe. They ate their breakfast in silence before both leaving the flat for work.


	4. Revelations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ginny brews some mischief

“Hermione!” 

She snapped her head up from the paperwork in her lap at her name being shouted, ready to jump up and run to whatever emergency she was being called to. Only 5 hrs into her shift she was still alert and ready compared to her caffeine driven state that would come later. She caught sight of the redheaded girl jogging down the halls to her she relaxed slightly knowing there was no medical emergency. Her friend ran towards her with an urgency concerning Hermione. 

“Ginny what’s going on?” She asked as she met her halfway down the hall, waiting a moment as the other witch bent over to catch her breath. Her eyes sparkled as she stood up to address Hermione. 

“It’s them.” Ginny panted excitedly. “We just got a letter!” She squealed and pulled Hermione into a quick hug before pulling back and laughing. Noticing the confusion etched on Hermione’s face. “Hermione from Ron and Harry!” 

Realization dawned on Hermione and she broke out in a smile and jumped at her friend for another hug. She silently thanked whatever magical forces were at work in the universe for keeping her friends safe. Pulling away from Ginny she peppered her with questions. “Ginny how wonderful! What did they say? Where are they? Are they alright?” Her urgency drawing glances from patient’s and staff alike as the passed the women in the hall. 

Ginny’s eyes twinkled as she pulled Hermione to the side of the hallway out of the way of a gurney floating by. “Technically the letter wasn’t from them but from Kingsley. He said that the team wasn’t able to communicate at the moment but would be back by the end of next week.” Hermione caught herself briefly worrying about what could possibly be happening where the boys couldn’t send a letter home themselves. 

Ginny carried on, “Both Harry and Ron were reported to be fine. Not much information to go on but, oh Hermione, they’re coming home!” She laughed with excitement and happiness Hermione had not seen from her friend in almost a year. The worried lines that had been etched into the younger girls forehead had disappeared as she smiled and flitted about. 

Hermione grinned back at her, jubilant at the thought of her best friends coming home safely. They had a lot of explaining to do when they returned both to her and Harry’s very impatient, worried fiancé. 

Ginny paced, almost prancing about the hospital hallway. “Hermione there is so much to do! Harry said we would be married when he got back and I stopped planning months ago. I was just so angry and worried that I couldn’t even focus on dresses or centerpieces.” She made a slight face. 

Hermione rubbed her hand along the other girls arm, “Ginny don’t worry. I’m sure after this long Harry isn’t going to waltz in and demand you have the wedding set up and get married on the spot.” Not like Harry Potter had ever been known to rush into things in the past, Hermione thought but decided not to share that with Ginny. “If you are really worried about it then why don’t we get together and start replanning your wedding?” 

Ginny hugged her friend, “Perfect maid-of-honor thinking. I’ll bring everything we need.” 

\--  
Two days later Hermione was fully regretting her decision as the bright blue cooling face mask Ginny had forced on her started making her eyes water. She never indulged in self pampering the way Ginny had, it all seemed so superficial after everything they had gone through and everything still going on. But she had been looking forward to catching up with her friend and smiled as Ginny babbled on about her travels as part of the professional Quidditch team she had joined just out of Hogwarts. They poured over bridal magazines as well as the notebook that Ginny had originally been using to plan the nuptials. 

They were sprawled on the light grey couch in their small flat, the cream coffee table littered with drugstore items and more magazines. They had gotten the flat together a few years ago after she and Ron had decided to wait to move in with each other, a great idea in hindsight. It was a small two bedroom apartment just outside of the leaky cauldron in muggle London. The exposed, white washed brick fireplace in the living room drew both Ginny and Hermione when they were first searching despite the small size of the place. The kitchen had light blue cabinets with a slate grey countertops with a small island separating the living room from the kitchen. A short hallway led to the bedrooms and bathroom as well as a linen closet that was half stocked with Hermione’s books and Ginny’s Quidditch items. Large windows were present in the living as well as both bedrooms currently letting in the warm glow of lamplight from the street. They had been able to connect the fireplace to the floo system easily despite the building being muggle owned. Neither witch spent much time in the place between Ginny with her time commitments to quidditch and staying with Harry when he was home, and Hermione with her long hours at the hospital. Both of them loved this place and had many times joked about keeping it even if they were married and had houses, a private escape from their eventual husbands. 

Hermione raised her eyebrows as the redhead laughed about all of the male players they came across that tried to seduce her. Knowing full well that Ginny’s heart had belonged to Harry since the girl was 9 Hermione laughed along with her stories. 

“So how about you?” Ginny turned to face her, looking absolutely ridiculous with her hair in plastic wrap and a blue sticky substance covering her face. Hermione knew she looked no better with her own hair wrapped up high in a towel undergoing what Ginny had called a “miracle for curls.” The sticky mixture had made Hermione gag as Ginny slopped it into her long hair an hour before.

“I’m not quite sure what you mean, Ginevra Weasley?” Hermione asked innocently.

Ginny rolled her eyes, “You know exactly what I mean Grander. We both know that you have no shortage of offers on your end of things. A brilliant little healer like yourself must get proposals on a daily basis! I’m sure your patients start drooling as soon as you enter the room.” She wiggled her eyebrows at Hermione causing her to laugh. 

“That sounds so much like muggle soap operas I think I may vomit.” She shook her head and thought. In fact she had been getting quite a few offers from men and patient’s alike over the past few years. Never taking them seriously she usually declined unless one of them caught her interest or seemed genuine enough. She had dated several times during her breakups with Ron but nothing ever stuck and she always assumed it was because she was still in love with Ron. However, having made the realization that she and Ron would never work after their last fight she just didn’t have the inclination to start dating again. She refused to believe that a different redheaded man had anything to do with her decision. 

“I’ve been on a few dates but none that I would consider serious at all. I mean I’m a workaholic bookworm, who would be attracted to that.” She laughed before catching the serious look from Ginny. 

“Hermione you know that’s not how the world sees you, right?” She continued, “You’re an extremely accomplished healer, part of the Golden Trio that helped save the world, smartest witch of her age, plus…” She grinned. “There is nothing about your appearance that screams bookworm.” 

Hermione laughed but Ginny meant every word. In Hogwarts her friend had hidden under bulky sweaters and worn jeans but as she grew into her own after the war she saw the shy, bossy girl turn into a confident, outgoing woman. She dressed in a sophisticated yet comfortable way. Even her outfit today of black ankle boots, black skinny jeans, dark grey lace tank top and an oversized grey cardigan showed off the young woman’s style, not to mention her shapely legs and curved hips. While Ginny was hard and muscular from months of rigorous quidditch practice, Hermione was soft and lean. Her toned limbs flowed into soft curves and slim waist kept by her daily runs and lack of decent food during her crazy work hours. The hair now wrapped up in the towel was deep and luscious and something Ginny would kill to have but insisted on cutting hers short for Quidditch. 

She appreciated the differences between her and Hermione. She also appreciated the looks a certain brother gave her friend when he thought no one was looking. “And how are things with the twins?” Ginny asked nonchalantly. 

Hermione narrowed her eyes at her friend. How was it that her feelings were always so apparent to her? “Well George and Alicia are doing quite well. I can tell that sometimes George gets torn between the shop and spending time with his family. It must be hard to give up your original baby that you built for your actual biological baby.” Hermione chuckled, “But the shop is doing wonderful even with the new restrictions on the Alley. They never seem to be lacking for business and I know so many people rely on their products for a laugh.” 

“And what about Fred?” Ginny asked, having known for years about Fred’s harbored crush on the brunette sitting next to her. 

Hermione glanced over at Ginny looking at her expectantly and grimaced. “Is it really that obvious?” She asked quietly. 

Ginny grinned. Of course the intuitive woman had picked up on the elder twin brother’s feelings for her. Hermione was nothing if not observant. She was just about to start teasing her friend about her brother’s crush but snapped her mouth shut in surprise as Hermione continued to talk. 

“I swear Ginny I never meant to start having feelings for him. I know everyone expects Ron and I to be together but I’m just not happy with him. He’s my best friend and there was a time after the war when I truly thought I loved him but the longer we were together the more that feeling faded. I don’t think I could ever go back to how we were before. And I feel so guilty about Fred and I would never willingly hurt Ron. But with Fred,“ Ginny watched her with wide eyes. “He makes me laugh and helps me forget about the horrors of the world for a while. He is so kind and actually wants to listen to what I have to say instead of ignoring me. He’s sweet and with everything he and George have done for me over the past few months I just couldn’t help myself.” 

She plucked at her freshly painted nails. “I know it’s stupid. I just can’t help but feel drawn to him. He’s been my best friend with everyone away and at some point I guess I just started wanting more.” 

Ginny looked at her guiltily knowing that the ‘everyone’ included her. “You have feelings for Fred?” She asked softly as the truth sunk over her. Hermione nodded, still looking at her hands. 

Ginny wanted to pinch herself, how had she never noticed? She had been too busy finding amusement in her older brother’s secret looks that she never even considered if Hermione felt the same way. Then again it’s not like she had been around much for her. The wheels in her head turned with this new information that her best friend harbored mutual secret feelings. It was a wonder neither of them knew about the other’s feelings for each other given how much time they spent together. 

“Ginny I didn’t mean to upset you.” Hermione said seeing her friend’s furrowed brow, “I completely understand why you haven’t been around. You’ve been busy with work and with Harry gone, I know how important it is to stay busy and distract yourself.” Ginny looked up pulled out of her own thoughts. 

“Just please don’t tell anyone about this. I know nothing will come from it and eventually the feelings will go away. I just don’t want this turning into a big fuss and embarrassing myself over an infatuation.” Ginny nodded and reached over to grip her friends hand, knowing full well that she would not drop this until the two oblivious people in her life opened their eyes and found each other. Now maybe she could talk to her other favorite brother about his blind brother...


	5. Summer heat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Let's take a little swim

Three weeks later Ginny and Hermione sat on the front steps of the Burrow shucking corn in the sticky summer heat. The happy excitement from before had faded with each day Harry and Ron had not come home. Hermione tried to stay optimistic, wanting to keep Ginny’s hopes up that the boys were coming back soon, but even she was starting to doubt herself. She knew Ginny visited the Burrow each day and sat within view of the front road just to make sure she didn’t miss them. Each day after the promised two weeks that they didn’t return Hermione could hear Ginny crying herself to sleep at night. Several times she had joined the sobbing witch in her bed and held her hand until Ginny feel asleep from exhaustion.

Sunday dinner came around with less excitement than usual as the emptiness left by those they were missing becoming more and more apparent. Having had the day off Hermione slept in as late as she physically could before joining Ginny at the Burrow to offer their assistance to Molly for the day. Ginny, already crabby from the recent weeks and the sweltering heat, did not speak as they sat pealing the sticky rinds off the yellow vegetable. They lifted their head when the pop of apparation sounded just a few feet from them. Ginny’s face dropped as she saw it was just Fred sauntering towards them instead of who she truly wanted.

“Not who you were hoping for Gin?” He asked when he reached them and stooped down to tweak his sister’s hair with a smile. “As your favorite brother, I am thoroughly crushed.”

Ginny glared at him and smacked his hand away. “You are not my favorite brother.” She went back to ripping the corn husk off, not in the mood to deal with the jokester’s antics. He laughed and turned his eyes to his other favorite witch sitting on the step above him. Her hair was up in a high messy bun but small pieces had escaped and were stuck to her neck with humidity and sweat. She was wearing a pair of ripped jean shorts that showed off her long legs and a loose, button up, dark blue tank top. A few of the buttons were undone at the top and Fred saw the edges of her maroon lace bralette peeking out by her cleavage. He would have stared at her all day if he hadn’t noticed her eyes staring questionably right back at him. The tips of his ears burned red and quickly averted his gaze, not before he caught her slight smirk.

Hermione stood up and stretched from her hunched over position. “You’re early. Everything all right at the shop?”

“Yeah it’s been fine. With the new Ministry rules trying to ruin us we are now only allowed a half day on Sundays. So George and I decided to rotate those between us, lucky me it’s my day off.” He winked at her.

Ginny swatted at a fly and huffed impatiently ignoring the conversation above her. “I swear if this heat doesn’t stop I’m going to hex someone.”

Fred frowned down at his sister and noted her sour expression. He knew she was waiting for Harry to arrive and her mood had become less pleasant with each passing day. The uncommonly awful England summer heat was not helping in any way. He could already feel his shirt sticking to his back which each moment spent outside. He grinned suddenly mentally prepping for the beat down he was about to receive.

Ginny yelped in surprise as her brother scooped down and lifted her up over his shoulder. As he ran towards the nearby pond she bounced painfully and looked back at Hermione’s shocked face. Before she truly realized what happened and had the time to scream at him, he was jumping off the jetty into the cool water. She pushed away from him as she went fully under and pawed towards the surface. They both emerged at the same time gasping for breath with Ginny shrieking and cursing her brother while Fred laughed loudly at her furious expression. She glared at him and would not have been surprised if steam was coming out of her ears as she reached out and attacked. She pushed him fully under in a feeble attempt to finally rid herself of her annoying sibling. Fred surfaced a few seconds later and immediately pushed a large amount of water into Ginny’s face.

Their pushing and splashing were interrupted by a twinkling laugh coming from the shore. They both stopped and saw Hermione standing at the end of the dock clutching her sides. “You looked ridiculous,” she snorted between gasps. Her bun was partially loose having quickly followed the other two not to miss the spectacle. They truly did look ridiculous, fighting like children as they tread water fully clothed. Fred and Ginny exchanged glances of agreement before starting towards the perfectly dry witch.

It was too late when Hermione stopped laughing and realized their intentions. Before she could move out of the way Ginny was splashing her with water while Fred pulled himself up on the dock. She turned to run but he struck out at her and wrapped his arm around her waist, easily lifting her off of her feet. She shrieked as he grabbed her and pulled at his slippery arm. He was wet and blissfully cool and she had only a second to marvel at the strong muscles around her before she felt herself being pulled backwards, falling into the water. She hit the solid mass of flesh before sinking deeper into the water, which cushioned their fall.

She came up spluttering and pushing her now free hair out of her face. Her sandals felt awkward on her feet as she kicked to stay afloat. Fred was tredding water next to her grinning from ear to ear, his hair plastered to his head. The dopey grin on his face the exact same as the one he had given her when she caught them testing products on first years. She paddled for a second glaring at him before lunged and pushing on his shoulders, using all of her strength to sink him as deep as she could.

Fred went under with a laugh swallowing a bit of water on the way. He felt Hermione’s hands loosen on his shoulder in order to keep herself afloat. Using her brief moment of vulnerability he struck out and grabbed for her legs, pulling her under with him. She struggled against him and he gripped her waist as they surfaced for air a few seconds later. Her spluttering made him laugh as she shrieked at him before starting to laugh herself. Their enjoyment quickly died as they both realized just how close they were and fell silent, breathing heavily. His hands still at her waist and hers on his shoulders causing their faces to be inches apart. She noticed the intensity of his gaze on her face, the midnight blue eyes seemed to darken the longer he looked. His breath mingled with hers and she dropped her gaze to his lips and the beads of water lingering there. His grip on her waist tightened as he started to slowly lean forward and Hermione’s breath caught in her throat in anticipation. A shriek nearby caused them jump and pull quickly apart looking around for the source of the outburst. Fred cursed internally as he felt Hermione remove her small hands from his shoulder as she pulled away from him in the water.

He turned towards the noise and saw Ginny struggling towards the edge of the water, she was yelling as she went but his water clogged ears made it hard to hear anything but a soft whooshing sound. He looked beyond his sister in the direction she was headed to the road beyond the house. At the top of the nearest hill he saw two figures in black walking towards the house, the bright red hair of the taller one glinted in the sun. Hermione must have seen them too as she gasped and quickly struck out towards the shore after Ginny. The return of her best friends caused Fred’s heart to drop as he knew that his moments spent with Hermione were going to become very limited from now on. If his little brother had surely returned then he knew Hermione would be overjoyed at her long time love coming back to her. He didn’t stand a chance against years of an established relationship no matter how off and on it seemed. He sighed and started towards shore after the other two.

As Hermione pulled herself out of the water her heart raced with excitement. Ginny was already half way down the road when the shorter of the two figures started running towards her. They reached each other as Ginny flung herself into the waiting arms of Harry Potter. She laughed openly as Harry spun her around kissing him soundly for several seconds before pulling away laughing. Hermione smiled and ran towards them herself.

Harry grinned at her over Ginny’s shoulder as he put the redhead down before Hermione crashed into him. Her face hurt with the intensity of her smile as she gripped Harry tightly, fully realizing just how much she had missed him. A heavy weight that she didn’t realize she had been carrying seemed to lift off of her shoulders as she pressed her face into his shoulder, willing herself not to cry. Over his shoulder she saw another smiling redhead walking forward in black auror's robes. The bright smile on his face as he looked at her made her falter as she separated from Harry. Ron stepped forward and pulled Hermione toward him, sweeping his arms around her waist as he bent to kiss her.

Fred felt his heart drop and he stopped walking as he saw his little brother pull Hermione to him and cover her mouth with his. It felt like eternity before Hermione pushed back against Ron’s chest and pull away. He couldn’t see her face but Ron’s smile and the way he pushed back Hermione’s wet hair told Fred all he needed to know about the status of their relationship.

He pushed his feelings down within himself and went to greet his brother and future brother-in-law. Both Ron and Harry smiled up at him as he shook their hands, “Well you sods sure know how to make an entrance.” He said happily sneaking a glance at Hermione who wouldn’t meet his eyes from her position at Ron’s side. “Well,” He continued. “We should probably go let Mum know about the return of her prodigal sons, shall we?” He smiled and turned back towards the house, the four others trailing behind him laughing as Ginny threatened great bodily harm to Harry if he ever left her side again.

“Mum,” Fred yelled up to the house. “We’ve got some company.”

Mrs. Weasley poked her head out of the kitchen door wiping her hands on her apron, “Fred when did you get here, and why are you all wet?” She stopped speaking as she took in the scene before her. “Oh my boys!” She exclaimed tearily before rushing forward and enveloping Ron into a suffocating hug. She cried into his shoulder loudly before using her other arm to rope Harry in.

Fred stood by grinning as his mother sobbed into The-Boy-Who-Lived’s shirt. He noticed Hermione standing aside just a few feet from him with the same smile plastered on her face as she wiped away silent tears. She looked up and him and her smile faltered for a second before turning her attention back to the scene in front of them. He looked away, she could at least acknowledge him. Just because her boyfriend came back doesn’t mean all their months of time spent together and how close they were meant nothing. And it doesn’t mean what they had shared just minutes before was nothing either but he refused to think about that right now, knowing nothing could ever come of his feelings for Hermione. Ron and her reunion had only driven that point home further.

Hermione’s heart was bursting in her chest surveying the happy scene before her. Tears slipped gracefully down her cheeks but her thoughts were messily warring in her mind. Ron had kissed her. She still felt the pressure of his lips on hers. They weren’t even together when he left, hadn’t been for months. Just because he gave off some inkling that he was interested in getting back together does not give him the right to waltz back into her life and act like none of their problems had ever existed. She was so happy they were back but had looked forward to seeing the person who was her best friend again, not the man who was her ex-boyfriend. The kiss had surprised her but upon meeting Ron’s lips for the umpteenth time in her life she was shocked to find that she felt nothing. Where his kisses had once sparked an ember in her belly and set her heart racing, she now only felt wet and cool. She had pushed away from him but he continued to smile at her and intimately push the matted wet hair off of her temples. And Fred.. she looked at him quickly and caught his eye. He smiled back at her with easy happiness, obviously thinking nothing of the few moments they shared before getting distracted by Ron and Harry’s return. She thought about Fred’s lips so close to hers and his hands about her waist and her heart fluttered in her chest. Almost kissing Fred had made her feel more than any kiss from Ron ever had.


	6. Heartache All Around

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Broken hearts and bad dreams

Dinner that evening was even more chaotic than ever as everyone tried to coax Ron and Harry to regale them with tails of their mission. Each claiming that there was only so much they were allowed to tell, sharing a knowing look with the other. They were able to share with them that they were posted in the north of Italy, hunting for a group of Voldemort’s followers that had formed a force after the war. It seems they had been growing stronger under one of the original followers over the past few years and the Ministry wanted to snuff them out before they could ever become a true threat.

“So did you find them?” Charlie asked from his spot at the end of the table. He leaned forward and grabbed another role from the basket that floated by him.

If Hermione hadn’t been watching closely she wouldn’t have seen the shadow passed across her best friend’s face before Harry smiled brightly and winked at the group, “That’s classified I’m afraid.”

Charlie hooted with laughter as did several others at the table but Hermione drew her eyebrows together in concern. She had assumed since the men had returned that they had been successful in their task, why else would they have returned? The Ministry didn’t exactly let people off just for being homesick. Harry turned to Ginny beside him and gave her a quick peck before returning to his meal and eating in a way that led one to believe he had spent too much time with Ron. “Mrs. Weasley I cannot tell you how much I have missed your cooking. The stuff we’ve been eating was almost worse than what we had on the run, right Ron?”

Ron looked up from shoveling yet another forkful of potatoes into his mouth. Cheeks bulging, he attempted to smile and gave a thumbs up. Hermione snickered from her seat beside him. “Nothing ever changes does it?” She laughed and the others joined in while Ron attempted to stick his tongue out at her past the mouthful of food.

Knowing there was only so much information they would get from the two men, talk quickly fell to updating them on the happenings of the family while they were away. Harry listened intently as Ginny peppered them all with her stories from the Quidditch pitch. He laughed at her antics and brushed hair our of her face on multiple occasions. At one point they stopped talking all together and just looked at each other, the rest of the group quietly snickered and George loudly cleared his throat causing the two to jump. “Well I think our lovely sister and boy-wonder would like some alone time now everyone. Gin why don’t you and Harry take a walk, I’m sure the rest of us can handle cleanup.”

Ginny looked at the family blushing sheepishly before grabbing Harry’s hand and pulling him out the kitchen door. The soft sound of her laughter floated back to them through the open window as the couple moved away from the Burrow. Hermione stood up to help clear the table with the rest of the family before she felt Ron softly touch her upper arm as he came to stand by her. She looked up at him in question and he gestured towards to front door on the opposite end of the house. She set down the plate she was holding and Ron took her hand before they silently left the room, headed out towards the trees where they used to spend most of their summer’s together.

Fred seemed to be the only one who noticed the two exit the room and watched wistfully as they disappeared out the front door. He sighed before joining in with the rest of his family and making quick work of clearing the table. They all found their way to the living room with an overall sense of happiness and lightness that Fred had missed over the past few months. He just couldn’t pull his thoughts away from the small brunette witch who was now likely snogging his brother under the willow tree.

\- -

Hermione followed Ron through the low hanging branches and stopped, tugging her hand from his. “Ron we really should be back with the others, they’ve really missed you.”

He turned back to face her, his lips lifted in a small grin before he reached for her again. “And you Mione? Have you missed me?” His hand came to rest on her waist and the other reached up to smooth a flyaway curl.

“Well of course I missed you.” She knew that this needed to stop before going any further causing even more damage to their relationship. She couldn’t pretend to be feeling the same things he was, she refused to do that to him. “I missed you, I missed Harry. I missed my best friends.” She said simply.

He blinked and let his hand fall from her. “Just your best friends?” He ran his hand through his now short hair as she had watched Fred do a thousand times before. “Mione I know when we left things were a bit iffy about where we stood but when I was away I really had time to think about things. Think about the future that I want and I know that I want you in it, with me.”

She knew it would come to this, it always did. With their time apart they usually forgot about all of the arguments that caused them to break up in the first place. When they finally came back together the anger forgotten, they would promise to be better before trying to make it work for another few months. The look he was giving her now was the same one she had seen countless times before when he was so fixated on his love for her that he forgot how they were never actually happy with each other.

“You make me happy Hermione, so happy. I don’t think I’ve ever missed anyone as much as you when I was gone. You’re all I could think about in Italy, every bad thing that happened it was always you that pulled me through. The thought of getting back to you and holding you in my arms again. I love you and I want to be together again.” He said, continuing to search her face for any hint of what she was thinking.

She felt tears prick her eyes knowing that she was about to lose her best friend. “Ron I love you too,” She said quietly. “But I don’t think that I will ever be IN love with you again.” She raised her eyes to meet his and saw the hurt start to form.

“When we split the last time I had time to think about what I wanted and who I really was. We never had the time to grow as individuals after the war as we just immediately jumped in to being a couple. There was no opportunity for us to figure out what we wanted to do with our lives individually. There was always a sense of purpose before the war and then I think we just latched on to finding purpose in each other.”

She took a deep breath and continued, “Ron I truly did love you and was so happy when we were together initially. I thought we would spend the rest of our lives together.” She smiled wistfully at the memory of how they used to be.

“But then we just stopped working together. We started arguing all of the time and both said horrid things to each other. It was so hard to go through that over and over again, knowing that I was hurting you as much as you were hurting me. When we were apart I really began to understand what my purpose is and what I want my life to be like. You will always be my best friend Ron. But I know that that is all we will ever be with each other. I’m so sorry.” The last part came out as barely a whisper and she looked pleadingly into his eyes begging for him to understand. Begging him to forgive her.

Ron stared at her in the silence for several seconds before steeling his shoulders, “Is there someone else?” He said coldly. “While I was risking my life, starving and living in a bloody tent again were you shacking up with some bloke? Did you even care that I was gone?”

Somehow she knew deep down he would react like this. Ron wasn’t exactly the most gracious person and had a mean streak of jealousy that could only be natural growing up with six other siblings.  
“What? No, Ron of course not. I’m not seeing anyone and even if I was, we weren’t together when you left and we’re not together now. And of course I cared that you were gone, you’re my best friend.” She said simply not knowing how else to placate this new attack.

He scoffed. “Sure, you missed me so much that the first chance you have you break my heart. Well, looks like the ‘purpose’ that you found was to be a heartless--.”

“Ron!” She cried loudly, interrupting him before he could finish his sentence. She started at him with an open mouth, not believing the words he was about to call her.

She could see him grind his teeth together before shaking his head. He pushed past her, ignoring her shocked expression as he walked back to the house.

Hermione stared after him for what felt like eternity and felt a crushing weight on her chest as a sob broke from her lips. As he entered the house and disappeared form sight she wrapped her arms around herself and started to cry. She knew this was the right thing to do for both of them, but seeing the way he looked at her and losing her first love had broken a piece of her heart that she was not prepared for. She sunk down and rested against the trunk of the large willow tree holding her head in her hands and let out all of the confused emotions she had pent up over the past 9 months he had been gone.

When she had finally cried herself out over an hour later, she stood and pressed her cool fingers to her puffy eyes. Thankfully darkness had fallen shortly after Ron left her so no one would see her red rimmed eyes and nose when she went back inside. The house was quiet when she pushed the door open and tiptoed in to the living room trying not to make a noise. Knowing with Harry and Ron home many of the other family members would have decided to stay at the Burrow to spend more time with them tomorrow. She didn’t exactly fancy attempting to find an open bed at this hour so started to head to the fireplace to floo home to her flat when she heard someone clear their throat behind her. She squeaked and whirled around to find the last person she wanted to see lounging in an armchair a few feet from her.

“Well Granger,” the deep voice whispered. “You looked like you’ve had a less than joyful evening.” His joking tone made her scowl. He faltered a bit trying another approach. “Look I’m assuming you were about to floo home but I felt I had a duty to stay and warn you that Harry and Ginny had only just snuck down here with that same destination. Judging by the giggles and Harry’s shirt so carelessly thrown on the floor as they left, I’d recommend avoiding your flat at all costs tonight.”

She swore under breath and cursed Ginny knowing full well what she would find if she returned to the small apartment, and more importantly what she would hear. Not that many of the Weasley couples hadn’t been caught in compromising positions before, including herself and Ron she thought. But the idea of having to deal with the loved up couple at her flat made her grimace.

Fred chuckled and stood up stretching. “You’re welcome to stay at my place tonight if you don’t fancy finding an open room. Everyone else decided to camp here for the night so beds are few and far between.”

She looked up at him, hesitantly remembering their encounter from earlier. He seemed to catch her thoughts and held up his hands in innocence. “I promise no more swims for the day. Just good ol’ sleep. Besides, Mum commanded the troops back in the morning for breakfast since everyone should have the holiday off so we’ll be back before you know it.”

She sighed and nodded before following behind him through the fireplace. When they landed in the dark quiet of his flat her eyes had started to burn with tears again as she slipped around Fred into the extra bedroom. Not bothering to take off her now dry but wrinkled clothes before falling on the bed in exhaustion.

Fred almost reached out for her as she passed him in the dark. Her scent lingered in the room even after she closed the bedroom door. Fred padded to the kitchen and quietly pulled down a glass and bottle of Fire Whiskey. He wasn’t one to drink without occasion but right now he needed something to clear his thoughts. Downing the first glass he recollected on his rollercoaster of emotions from the day. His moment with Hermione had been so perfect and he almost thought that something would happen with them. He had almost kissed her, what a daft fool. ‘You know she has no interest in you, idiot,’ he though as he poured another drink.

But she hadn’t necessarily pulled back either, he remembered. He cursed Harry and Ron’s ill timed reappearance. They’d been gone for 9 months, they couldn’t wait another bloody 5 minutes. Then there was the jealousy and heartache he had experienced watching Ron and Hermione embrace when only moments before it could have been him kissing the witch instead of his little brother. Then just when all hope was lost and Fred was resigning himself to his fate of wanting someone he could never have, Ron storms back in from his time with Hermione and promptly announces that he is tired from traveling and is heading to bed.

The family had looked around at each other with understanding as Ron ascended the stairs, each knowing exactly what must have transpired between the two outside. They had known that while after everything they had been though, Ron and Hermione were not good together as a couple. Seeing how carefree Hermione was when they were broken up was enough evidence for anyone to see that she wouldn’t continue the vicious cycle they had rotating on.

Fred had waited expectantly for Hermione to follow close behind Ron from outside but when she didn’t return right away he settled himself into an armchair with a book to wait her out. He knew she must need time after breaking his little brother’s heart. Part of him felt guilty for being happy at the source of his brother’s pain but the other part only thought about the lovely witch out in the dark that he had grown very close.

Just when he was about to say screw it and go out looking for her she finally slipped inside. He saw by the dim light of the lamp that she had been crying. His initial thought was to jump up and pull her into his arms to comfort her as he had one countless times in the past few months when he had found her crying and missing her friends. He also had other thoughts gong through his mind but the want to finish what they had started earlier was quelled by the look of her red rimmed eyes and tired face. When they got to his flat he though he heard her small sob as she left the living room.

He ran his fingers through his hair as he sipped his third glass of fiery liquid. Feeling more in line with his thoughts he sighed and turned off the lights before retiring to his own bedroom to sleep.

\--

Fred woke sometime that night reaching for his wand as his instincts took over after he heard someone crying out. Trying to clear the sleep from his head he opened the door to his living room in search of what ever battle was happening outside. When he was met with darkness he stood confused for a moment before hearing a strangled cry from the door across from him. Hermione, he thought, and rushed into the room still holding his wand. Seeing no menacing figures in the dark room, instead he found only the small witch curling into herself on the tangled bedsheets. She screamed again and clutched in front of her. He knew she had nightmares but he had never experienced the ones that Harry and Ron talked about her having in the first few years after the war, the ones that made his heart ache for her.

He quickly bent down over the bed and shook her. “Hermione! Hermione wake up, it’s just a dream.” She jerked under him and tried to push his hands away from her, recoiling at his touch. He acted quickly and laid down on the bed next to her, gathering her in his arms as she continued to fight and whimper. He only held her tighter and stroked her hair, the curls now in a crazy tangle from her earlier thrashing. Slowly she stopped struggling and came awake finding herself in her own bed and not the halls of Hogwarts where she had been a few seconds prior. She felt arms tight around her and tilted her head back to look at the person lying in her bed.

“Fred?” She questioned confused. How did he end up in her bed? What was going on?

He loosened his arms around her when he heart her speak and pulled back to look down at her in the darkness. “Hey, its okay.” He pushed her hair away from her face, “You were dreaming.”

The entirety of her recurrent nightmare came rushing back to her at once. She knew how loud she could get from Ron having to pull her from nightmares before. Normally when she slept anywhere else but her own flat she would cast a silencing spell over the room just in case. Obviously in the events of yesterday she had other things on her mind before going to bed.

She let her head fall back to her pillow as they both lay in silence in the dark with Fred’s arms still around her. She was trying to forget her dream when he spoke again.

“What was it about?” He asked quietly. “Your dream? You don’t have to tell if you don’t want, I know they can be hard to talk about.” Harry and Ron had never divulged the exact happenings of her dreams when he had came across them worriedly discussing Hermione’s nightmares a few years ago. They had both had dreams for a few years but they seemed to slowly become less frequent. Hermione’s however were random and violent, so bad that at one point about a year after the war she was terrified to go to sleep.

She didn’t answer for a few seconds before she made the decision to tell him. “It was about you.” She tilted her head up again, trying to find his eyes in the darkness.  
“Me? I’m behind the horror you just went through?” He asked with mock indignation.

She didn’t laugh. “Yes Fred you are.” Sighing she thought about the events from her dream; the ones that she relived almost weekly for the past 5 years. “I dream about you dying. The night at the castle when you were crushed by that wall.”

He frowned interested to find out they were both plagued by the same event. Why that moment haunted her sleep he didn’t quite understand though.

She started to speak, this time in almost a whisper and as if she had forgotten that he was even still there. “We had finally made it back to the castle. Our last horcrux was in within reach and there felt on odd semblance at what would have been hope had there not been the devastation and death occurring around us.”

“Ron and I had destroyed the cup and were looking for Harry when I saw you. You saved my life disarming that Deatheater and then by being so focused on me you never even had time to react to the curse that exploded the wall behind you.” She paused remembering the sheer terror she had felt watching Fred disappear beneath the falling stones. “We ran over and tried to dig you out, there were so many rocks, but we finally got to you.”

She took a deep shaky breath before continuing, “You weren’t breathing when we pulled you out, there was blood coming from your nose and ears and I couldn’t find your pulse. I have never felt more guilty in my entire life Fred.” She let out a small shaky breath and felt his arms tighten automatically around her. “I never should have distracted you. I almost froze in panic before starting CPR on you.”  
Fred listened as she spoke. Having never gotten the full story about what had happened that night he was hearing all of this for the first time and he was frozen in rapture.

“Ron kept trying to tell me you were gone but I couldn’t stop. All I could see was your smile before the wall fell. I kept going until I heard you finally gasp for breath. It was the most relief I think I have ever felt, even compared to Voldemort’s death.” He could feel wetness on his sleeve under hear head and realized she was crying.

Shocked at finding out that she had been the one to save his life he pushed the information to the back of his mind, focusing instead on the woman in front of him. “You know if me coming back from the dead truly haunts your dreams I can clear everything up now and let you know that I have had no cravings what so ever for human brains, so you can stop worrying about when my skin will start rotting off.” He joked back to her.

She looked up at him quickly in shock before starting to laugh. “I never should have bought you that television set. Zombies? For Merlin’s sake Fred!” She swatted gently at his chest before tucking her head beneath his chin and wiping her cheeks.

She was quiet for a few moments, “I don’t dream about you coming back from the dead. I dream about you laying there and no matter how long I work on you, you never come back.” She said softly.  
She sighed and shifted even closer to him so the entire length of their bodies were touching. “Fred?” She asked sleepily against his chest.

“Hm?”

She hesitated, “Can you stay here tonight? I don’t want to be alone right now.”

He ran a hand down her arm and nodded against her head. At this point he wouldn’t dream of leaving her bed.

“And Fred?” Her sleepy voice echoed in the quiet room a few minutes later. “I’m glad you’re not a zombie.”

He smiled and pressed a soft kiss to the top of her head knowing that she would sleep the rest of the night while he stared at the wall, thinking about the very memory she had just relayed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the last of my pre-prepared chapters. Might be a couple days before I can get the next one edited and posted.


	7. Chapter 7

She woke early the next morning despite her initial bout of sleeplessness. Fred was sprawled next to her and had moved his arm around her waist at some point in the night. Her neck was cramped and sore from resting on his other arm for hours and she painfully lifted her head. She immediately noticed in the early morning light how peaceful Fred looked at sleep. The worry lines he had started to form in the years since the war were all but disappeared, leaving his skin smooth and reminding her of how he looked when he was younger. Deep brownish-red stubble had begun to come through across his chin and she wondered briefly what he would look like with a beard. 

Trying not to wake him she pushed herself up off the bed and crawled across his legs to get out of bed. She wrinkled her nose at her messy clothes and the pond smell that wafted up off of them. After grabbing clean clothes from her stash in the closet she headed to the shower, reveling as the hot water washed the smell from her hair.

When she came out of the bathroom fully dressed and her hair wrapped up in a towel a half hour later, she smelled coffee and immediately followed the scent towards the kitchen. Knowing Fred didn’t drink coffee or even know how to brew it she wondered who was out there. Turning into the kitchen she saw Harry quietly stirring milk into his large mug of dark liquid. He looked up and grinned as she made her way to the counter and sat down. 

“How’d you escape Ginny on your first day back?” Hermione asked feeling herself fall back into the familiar friendship that she and Harry had. 

He smirked at her over the rim of his coffee cup as he slid another mug towards her. “You and I both know that Gin won’t be up for another several hours just like most of the Weasley’s.” 

She took a big gulp of coffee and knew he was right, in the 2 years that she had lived with Ginny the girl had never risen before 900 in the morning. Between the coffee and the hot shower Hermione felt like this was just be another day, sitting with Harry in the mornings making cracks about Ginny as they had so many times before. That is until Harry spoke again. 

“So,” he said warily. “I’m assuming things did not go well with Ron?” 

Everything from the previous day came crashing back to Hermione and she felt tears prick her eyes. “I love him Harry, I really do. Just not in the way he wants me to.” She said softly seeing him nod. “I just want to be happy. And even though I love him, we hurt each other too much to continue doing this.” 

Harry looked her over noticing the exhaustion in his friend’s face. Ginny had perked up immediately upon their return but Hermione looked even more stressed then she had yesterday. He had known Ginny would be all right in his absence but with the recent loss of her parent’s, he worried about leaving Hermione behind. They had become their own family of sorts, having a silent understanding of the other that none of the Weasley’s could fully relate to. He had worried about her a lot when he was gone, knowing that she would throw herself into her work with the absence of her friends. 

Ron on the other hand, didn’t have the same level of concern that Harry did during the time in Italy. All he could talk about was how he and Hermione were getting back together when they got back. He had gone as far as to bring up his plans to propose and start looking for a house as soon as he got back, not even stopping to think about if Hermione would want the same. He was damn near convinced they hadn’t even broken up in the first place when they got the orders to return home. 

But Harry knew that Hermione wouldn’t’ be getting back together with Ron. She had spoken to him after their last breakup and even then he knew that she was done. Not once did he blame her, knowing how Ron had treated her the past few years. While Ron was his best friend, truly like a brother to him, he never quite understood why he and Hermione had stayed together this long. To be honest he was glad that Hermione had set things straight with Ron right away instead of letting him fall back into the relationship he was expecting. But with Ron being Ron, Harry was also nervous about how he would react to Hermione officially ending things. 

“He’ll be angry for a while.” He said to Hermione who was staring deep into her coffee mug. “But he’s Ron and in the end he’s still your best friend. He’ll come to understand that this was for the best.” 

Hermione nodded, so very grateful that the person who actually understood her frustration and reasons behind her choice was finally home. Harry smiled and reached over the counter to give her hand a squeeze. He looked up as he saw movement emerge from the bedroom that Hermione usually stayed in. He raised his eyebrows and Fred walked sleepily into the kitchen and collapsed into the stool next to Hermione. 

Looking over at her half-awake friend Hermione slid her mug of coffee over to his hand, which then gripped the mug and brought it to his lips for a large gulp. Hermione laughed at the grimace on his face wondering if he just enjoyed torturing himself with the bitter taste that he had never liked. He glared at her without reason, hoping one day she would start drinking hot chocolate in the mornings. Harry noticed the easy exchange and wondered further what he had missed in the past few months. 

“Why are we up so early?” Fred asked looking between the two friends. 

“Because WE are not biological Weasley’s and have a magical ability to wake up before noon.” She said pulling her coffee back and continuing to drink. 

Harry put his empty mug in the sink, rinsing it quickly seeing how high the sun had risen since he arrived. “Well I mainly wanted to come over and apologize for kicking you out of your flat, Hermione.” He grinned slightly, knowing it was fully worth it have had it to themselves last night. “But I should be going before Gin wakes up and realizes I’m gone. I specifically remember her saying I was never allowed more than five feet away from now on.” 

He turned on the spot and disappeared, leaving the other two alone in the silence of the morning. 

Fred rested his head in his hand turning to smile at Hermione catching her staring at him over the rim of her coffee. She dropped her gaze and rested the mug back on the counter. She picked at the sleeve of her long sleeve T-shirt before addressing the event that she had been thinking about since she woke up. 

“Fred, about yesterday in the water.” She started, trying to rationalize her sudden behavior in a way that didn’t allude to her true feelings. “I apologize if I got a bit forward. I think I was just caught up in the moment and stopped thinking for a second.” 

He watched her carefully noting that she didn’t meet his eyes as she spoke. He wished he could read her thoughts as her words dampened any fantasy he may have been having about her having feelings for him. He was just a friend to her, which he should be grateful for but there was still the part of him that wanted more. 

“Granger, no need to apologize. I know you find me irresistibly sexy and were bound to jump me eventually. It was only a matter of time.” He grinned back at her, allowing his joke to cover up the disappointment he really felt. He stood up from his seat and sauntered back to his bedroom to get ready to head over to the Burrow. As he left he heart Hermione muttering under her breath about him being full of himself. 

\--

They arrived at the burrow two hours later with the sun burning brightly in the sky, knowing that even then there would still be people sleeping. Molly Weasley was always the exception having lived half her life waking up early to prepare food for the masses. She was bustling around the kitchen when Hermione and Fred made their entrance. 

Surprisingly Ron was sat at the table conversing with his mother. In all of the time Hermione had known him, given the chance Ron would have spent half his days in bed, probably the worst of the Weasley’s. He glared at Fred when he saw him and Hermione enter the room together and completely failed to acknowledge Hermione. Standing up he went over the his mother, “If it’s alright I think I will spend the day in Diagon Alley, maybe catch up with some friends.” 

He left quickly before Molly could answer and she stared longingly after him as he apparated away. 

Hermione felt her insides clench as she looked at her adopted mother, knowing that the apparent heartache was entirely her fault. “Mrs. Weasley I’m so sorry.” She quietly apologized to the older woman and went to stand near her. “I never meant to hurt him I swear. And I can leave and go to work and catch up on some things if it would make him more comfortable to be here.” 

“No dear, that’s not necessary. We all understand what happened between you two, and Ronald will come around eventually. You know how pig headed he can be.” She smiled at her and patted her arm. “Now, how about you start mixing some biscuit dough while Fred cooks the sausage and bacon.” 

The other redheads slowly began to trickle down to the kitchen as the tantalizing scent of bacon made its way slowly up the tall house. Ginny and Harry floo’d in filling the kitchen laughing and holding hands as they arrived. 

Breakfast was a loud affair but Fred noticed that Hermione stayed mostly quiet throughout. She would laugh along with the others but did not attribute any of her usual comments or stories to the conversations. He kept glancing sideways at her as she picked at her food. After nudged her with his knee under the table and she quickly glanced up at him with a smile that was less than convincingly. 

After breakfast Fred pulled her away from the rest of the crowd. “Everything alright?” 

She wasn’t all too keen on discussing her ex-boyfriend with her current crush who also happened to be ex-boyfriend’s older brother. However, she knew from past experience that Fred could see right through her when she tried to lie about how she felt. 

“I just feel like I made everything worse.” She finally said running her hands through her curls. For the first time in her life she felt like she didn’t belong with the family she had called her own since meeting them. 

“Hermione,” he tipped her chin up to look at him. “You did not make anything worse. Without you Ron wouldn’t even be alive let alone a successful auror. He will get past this. And like Mum said, everyone understands your choice. We all saw how you two were before Harry and Ron left.” 

She hadn’t realized how many people in the family were acutely aware of her and Ron’s issues and she felt embarrassed with the thought. She had only ever spoken the Harry and Charlie about them. Even Ginny didn’t know exactly how she had been feeling regarding her relationship. Even so, it was good to hear that no one was holding the breakup against her. 

“Thank you. I do appreciate you saying so but I think for now it might just be better if I head home. Maybe catch up on some sleep.” She told him knowingly before saying her goodbyes and apparating back to her own flat. 

\--

Ginny caught Harry looking at her as she watched Fred and Hermione exit the room. “Would you like to fill me in on what is going on with those two? When I left they barely even spent time together other than Sunday’s.” 

She checked to make sure the others were busy and not within earshot before quietly explaining the timeline of Fred and Hermione’s recent friendship and her discovery of the two’s mutual feelings. Harry really had missed a lot, he thought when she finally finished her story. And knowing Ginny, there was no way that Fred and Hermione were going to remain oblivious to the other’s feelings for much longer.


	8. Forgiveness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fred calls Hermione out and the family has an end of the summer get together

Hermione had been avoiding the family like the plague Fred thought as he returned home from yet another Hermione-less Sunday dinner. He knew she was upset about Ron, but to shun the rest of the family, especially Mrs. Weasley was very unlike her. He stepped into his flat before and stood there for a few seconds before making the snap decision to turn around and floo over to Hermione’s. He knew that Ginny was gone for the next few days for practice so if Hermione was home, then she would be alone. And she could explain what the hell was going on with her. 

He stumbled out of the white brick fireplace dusting off soot as he went. “Fred?” He looked up at the surprised voice coming from a few feet away. Hermione was sitting cross-legged on her couch, bathed in the dim light of the lamp lit next to her. A bowl of what looked like ice cream sitting in her lap and a spoon full held halfway to her mouth. If she had seriously been avoiding the family dinner’s to pout, hidden away with a bowl full of ice cream then he was going to be quite miffed, he thought looking at her. But then he noticed she was still in her healing uniform, her trainers haphazardly kicked off by the door. 

He chuckled at the thought of her returning home and immediately raiding the icebox for the sweet treat. Must have been some day, he mused. 

“Granger.” He nodded in greeting, not saying anything further before going to the kitchen and helping himself to the ice cream he knew he would find there. Taking his bowl he crossed the short distance to the living room and fell back on the couch, moving the numerous throw pillows that girls felt it necessary to put everywhere. He picked up the remote from the coffee table and switched the telly on. Settling back he started spooning large amounts of the dessert into his mouth. 

“Fred.” Hermione said again and he turned to look at her, spoon still in his mouth. She had not moved position since his arrival and was staring at him like he had just sprouted another head. 

“Hm?” He hummed around the cold spoon. 

She had an exacerbated look to her face before starting to laugh. “Can I help you with something or did you run out of ice cream at your own flat?” 

He snorted, somewhat offended that she would ever think he would run out of his favorite desert. Even now he knew that there was at least two tubs sitting in his own freezer as he and George took frequent breaks during the work day to sneak upstairs for a bite or two. 

“Just figured I’d stop by since Mum seems to think it is my personal responsibility to know your every move. And this way I’ll be able to tell her next week that I saw you well and alive before she hunts you down herself.” He saw her smile drop and she looked crestfallen. Having finished his ice cream he turned towards her. “And I figured while I was here I could also ask you’ve been avoiding us?” 

Hermione sighed and rubbed a hand on her temple. She hadn’t been avoiding them EXACTLY, work had been crazy and she and Ginny had been going over wedding things whenever the other girl was around. And, oh who was she kidding, she thought, she had been avoiding them, especially Fred. 

Since the incident in the pond and then the nightmares after she felt strangely vulnerable and awkward around the tall redhead. They had such a wonderful friendship and she wasn’t expecting to have such intense feelings for him. She could not stop thinking about being close to him and thought that she might have a hard time not acting on her feelings if she were to be in the same room. Hell even her dreams were being taken over, not that she was complaining, as it was more action than she had gotten in a long time. She blushed remembering her last dream that involved the deep claw foot bathtub just down the hall and some not so innocent splashing. 

“Hermione?” Fred prodded, pulling her out of her thoughts. He had noticed a slight blush forming on her cheeks and wondered where exactly her mind had wandered. 

“Sorry,” she apologized quickly, clearing her throat. “And I’m not avoiding anyone. Work has been a mess with one of our other healer’s out on sick leave and I just don’t have the time to stop in to the shop all of the time.” ‘And I want to jump your bones every time I see you,’ she conveniently left out. 

He started to say something before deciding to give her this one, and nodded. “Well I’ve an idea that would get you out of your prison for a few days.” 

She raised her eyebrows in questions. Wondering exactly what he scheme he was about to propose. 

“Bill and Fleur have invited the younger generation out to their place for the weekend and a bonfire this Friday. Sounds like a few people from school are also going to be there. Mum offered to take the baby and apparently the new parents are itching for a fun time.” 

Fleur and Bill had welcomed their second daughter Dominique a week after Harry and Ron had returned. The little sprite was a complete Weasley with the thick red hair and blue eyes, in sharp contrast to her sister’s silvery blond and grey. Hermione had visited them multiple times while they were staying in the maternity wing in the hospital after her shifts were finished. The little baby was a sweet intrusion to the stormy thoughts Hermione had been preoccupied with since her conversation with Ron who had yet to speak to her. She and Ginny had been out to shell cottage a few times in the month since the baby had been born to visit and get her baby fix. 

“Well that does sound lovely but I really am busy, Fred. It’s not easy to just up and leave.” She countered. 

“Don’t even try to pull out the busy card you little liar. I’ve already checked with Draco and he said you have a nice long three day weekend to do whatever your heart desires.” He smirked at her as she narrowed her eyes at him. 

“That’s almost at a stalker level there,” she said before sighing and giving in. “Fine. It would be nice to get away from here for a few days.” 

His large grin was infectious and soon they were talking easily like nothing had changed with them. 

 

\- - 

 

The week flew by and suddenly Hermione found herself waiting for Ginny to finish packing so they could apparate to Shell Cottage. Ginny had got home from training yesterday and immediately went into full bridal mode. With her wedding day coming up in two weeks there were so many finishing touches that still needed to get done. The girls had stayed up late las night going over seating plans and ceremony space ideas. Hermione felt her jaw pop as she broke out in a huge yawn. She had stayed up even later to pack her bag for the weekend and then her inner clock had woke her at an obscene time, insisting she was supposed to be at work. She had watched TV until noon before deciding to finally wake her roommate if they were going to ever leave at a decent time. 

“Ginny!” She called out impatiently, looking at her watch and discovering it was almost 6 o’clock, well passed their original plan of leaving at 4:30. “For Merlin’s sake, how many outfits are you brining?” 

Ginny stuck her head out of her bedroom and grinned at Hermione. “All of them.” She said before tucking back into the room and lugging a large suitcase out behind her.   
The brunette groaned at the site of the bag and was thankful that she would be apparating with her own small duffel bag and not the monstrosity Ginny pulled.   
Ginny shrugged as she came to stand by Hermione, “You never know what you might need.” 

Hermione shook her head before they both turned on the spot and landed just outside the front door of Shell Cottage, the ocean air invading Hermione’s senses bringing back a brief memory of when she had been here five years. 

Ginny pushed through the front door where Hermione would have knocked. They placed their bags down in the short entryway before making their way to the living room where they could hear laughter. Fred, George, Alicia, Bill, Fleur, Charlie, Harry, Percy, Audrey and Ron were scattered around the room listening as Charlie energetically told a story involving a new trainer he worked with who thought it would be a great idea to try and get a picture of him sitting on one of the dragons to send home. Had Hermione, Ron or Harry been present, they could have told him it may not have been the best idea. 

Ginny immediately went to Harry sitting in an armchair and plopped herself down on his lap, giving him a long kiss. Cries of protest went up around the room and a few pillows were thrown their direction before the couple pulled apart with smirks. 

Hermione shook her head as she made her way to perch on the arm of the couch next to Fred, attempting to meet Ron’s eyes as she went. It had been long enough since their falling out that things should have started to settle in Ron’s world, but still he refused to look at her. Charlie continued with his story and she felt Fred pull hard at her thigh, causing her to slide off of the arm into the tight spot he had made next to him. She squeaked as she landed partially on top of him and she wiggled, pushing him with her arm to move over. 

He turned his head towards her and whispered, “I always thought you were punctual Granger. We were about to send Harry out looking for you.” 

“You can thank your lovely, over packed sister for that. Though I don’t quite understand why it took her so long if she was missing Harry this much.” Said sister was currently nuzzling Harry’s neck and whispering in his ear, causing her fiancé to blush bright red. 

“I’m starting to think it would be better if she had stayed away,” Fred said looking in the same direction Hermione had been. He dramatically made gagging noises before threatening to make Harry sleep on the beach if they didn’t lay off. Ginny flung a comment about how that didn’t sound like a bad idea. 

A few hours later after dinner had been cleared and Fred and George reappeared in the kitchen to announce that the fire was going, everyone started to make their way down to the beach. Hermione hung back a bit hoping to grab a chance to speak with Ron who had run upstairs to use the loo. 

When he came back down he stopped short as he saw Hermione standing alone in the room. He took a deep breath and started to walk again only to be stopped by Hermione’s hand on his arm as he passed by her. 

“Ron, can we talk for a second?” She asked softly. 

He thought for a second before nodding. They sat on opposite ends of the couch and he stared at her, waiting for her to talk. She was running her fingers along the edge of the worn jean shorts she was wearing. She wasn’t quite sure how to start the conversation. She had never felt awkward with Ron before and she cursed herself before summoning and little of the Gryffindor bravery. 

“Ron, I know you are angry with me. I never meant to hurt you and I need you to know that.” He made a slight noise in the back of his throat and looked towards the fireplace. 

She continued, “You are my best friend. And it just became obvious that we were so much better as friends than as a couple. Ron we were rarely happy with each other. Between the fights and lack of communications it just didn’t feel like we knew each other anymore.” 

“I thought when you left that it would give you a chance to adjust to not having me around as much. Give you a chance to really think about us and see how many problems we had.” Her voice wavered as she stared at him. “I just miss my best friend. All I wanted to say was that I’m sorry and that I hope one day you can forgive me.”

She stood up to leave, coming to the conclusion that the conversation was going to be very one sided. She reached the door before hearing a voice behind her. 

Ron had stood up from the couch and was looking at her. “Hermione I know.” 

He sighed and walked closer to her. “I know that we didn’t’ work very well together. Or at least I know now. Our last conversation really made me look at our past and you’re right, we were so much better as friends than as a couple.” 

He ran his hand through his hair and gave her a small smile. “I’ve known that for a few weeks now, just didn’t have the courage to talk to you.” She smiled tentatively back at him.

“I miss my best friend too. God knows I’ve had enough of Harry after spending nine months strait with him. And Mum is driving me bonkers with her constant insistence of me getting over my pride to go and speak to you.” 

He reached for her hand and squeezed. “I was really angry at your for a while. It was so easy when we were gone to pretend that we had been the perfect couple and I think I tricked myself into believing it. That conversation just broke the perfect world I had envisioned and brought me back to reality.” 

She felt tears prick her eyes as she imagined what a perfect world with Ron would have been like. “I’m sorry.” She said again. 

He shook his head. “You really don’t need to apologize. I mean we weren’t even together when I left so technically you didn’t even break up with me.” 

They smiled at each other before Ron pulled her into an awkward hug. “I’m sorry too,” he said into her hair. “I never should have said the things I did. It was wrong of me to accuse you of that and I hope you can forgive me.” 

Hermione pulled back and wiped at her eyes. “Make me a s’more and I’ll think about it.” 

Finally feeling back to normal she and Ron made their way down to the beach to join the others, Ron’s arm slung over her shoulder as they walked. 

Harry greeted them with a smile as they sat down on the log next to him. The fire burned brightly in the chilly evening air, warming Hermione's chilled legs. The three of them sat and talked together like they had hundreds of times growing up, sitting around a similar fire in the common room or in the woods on the run. Hermione smiled as the golden trio was finally reunited. 

The evening continued on with much laughter and joking. Drinks had been passed out earlier and the more that was consumed the louder the laughter got. George at one point downed his beer before announcing that he needed to cool off and ran head long into the ocean. He came up from the salty water immediately regretting his decision as the warmth from the fire was snuffed out in the chilly water. He hooted and hopped his way out of the waves and raced back to the fire, turning immediately to warm his backside. The rest of the group laughed at him and Hermione chuckled as she watched Charlie fall backwards off of the stump he had been sitting on. 

After George had warmed up and snuggled into his wife's side Ginny began passing out a new round of drinks. "All right Weasley's, and respective Weasley's," she said as she handed a glass to Hermione with a sly grin. "Lets have a little fun."


	9. Moonlight

Everyone looked around in confusion as Ginny stood in the middle of the group before speaking again. The fire had died down enough to where those sitting on opposite side could clearly see each other over the low flames. The soft light illuminating each person. 

“So,” Ginny spoke loudly making sure everyone could hear her. “At training one of my muggle born teammates taught us a drinking game that we are going to play called never-have-I-ever.” 

Hermione groaned at the familiar name, having played it many times in her summer’s home from Hogwarts. It had never been combined with alcohol in her youth so she could only imagine where this would end up. 

Ginny continued, explaining the rules of the game and emphasizing that with each finger down you had to take a drink. And if you lied then she would personally perform her famous bat-boogey hex on the culprit. When you were out, you stayed out until there was only one person left. The group looked around at each other, trying to think of the most devious statements they could make to knock out their opponents. Percy had a smug look on his face, knowing that as a Prefect and then Head Boy he had been never been one to do crazy things which he was sure would make him the winner. 

Ginny took her seat before pointing out Audrey to start the game as she was the newest member of the group. 

“Never have I ever..” she paused thinking hard. “.. worked at the Ministry.” She smiled as Percy faltered and he glared at her taking a long sip. Harry and Ron also took long draws from their cup as well as Bill and Fleur. 

Next up was Percy and he was hell bent on getting the twins with his turn, payback for the hell they gave him in school. “Never-have-I-ever set off fireworks at school.” 

The twins clinked their plastic cups together, saluting each other before taking drinks. As they put their cups down they both turned and looked expectantly at Hermione knowing about her involvement in many of their pranks. She glared back at them. 

“Oh, all right.” She said conceding, before taking a gulp of her drink and found that Ginny’s end goal must be to get them all drunk as the strait spirits burned her throat. Coughing she looked up and found Harry and Ron’s staring at her with open mouths. Both of the twins were roaring with laughter finally having outed their accomplice. Harry leaned over across Ron and sternly said something about them having a conversation later. 

Bill and Fleur went next with very specific Weasley questions that mostly left Hermione snickering as she watched the redheads all take large swigs while swearing at their hosts. Then came Ginny and Hermione thought she saw the witch glance deviously at her. 

“Never have I ever had a crush on more than one Weasley.” Hermione’s smile faltered as she cursed her friend. 

Alicia laughed and took a drink as her husband looked at her with a loud gasp. “Oh please,” she said after she swallowed. “You and Fred were very hard to tell apart in school so I just settled for a collective infatuation. Good thing you lost your ear otherwise it would have come down to a coin toss to see which one I wanted to marry.” Fred laughed as George pulled his wife into an embrace that left her quite pink in the nose when they separated. 

“Coin toss that.” George said looking smugly back at Alicia. 

With the attention focused elsewhere Hermione had tried to take her drink as inconspicuously as possible. However Ginny, having known the trap she set for the brunette, called her out. “Hermione Granger! You sneaky witch; don’t think I didn’t see that. And which awful brother of mine did you fancy, other than Ron of course.” 

Everyone turned to look at her suprised, having not initially seen her take a drink. She grappled with the idea of dragging Ginny into the ocean before deciding against it. She chanced a nervous glance at Fred finding that he had an odd look on his face that she couldn’t place. 

“Well as you said Ron, obviously. And then..” she paused looking around at the other redheads before settling on the one that would get her in the least trouble. “Charlie!” She exclaimed throwing up her hands in defeat. 

Charlie startled and whooped a victorious laugh, turning to the twins to gloat about him being the most desirable Weasley. She felt Ron’s eyes on her and she gave him a shrug. 

“Sorry, Ron. You weren’t exactly at the top of my list when we were 12.” He shook his head at her and mumbled something about loyalty between friends. 

\- -

Ginny looked put out at Hermione, somewhat miffed that the brunette had lied. She knew it wasn’t good of her to try and out Hermione in a game but she had wanted to at least give some sort of inkling of a signal to Fred. 

Fred and George both went, their questions obviously aimed at Ginny who was the first one to go out. Her cheeks were flushed with the alcohol as she swore at them and put her last finger down. Harry laughed at her and patted her knee knowing full well that he was not any better with his one finger remaining. 

Ron was up next. “Never-have-I-ever had a one night stand.” So many glasses went up with that one including Hermione’s as she thought about the drunken night at the bar with Ginny a few months after Harry and Ron had left. Completely unintentional and she had slunk out of the man’s apartment and received hell from Ginny during her walk of shame. Again Fred and George clinked glasses before they drank making Alicia slug George in the shoulder. 

The group was finally whittled down to Hermione, Harry, Percy, Audrey and Fleur; both Hermione and Harry on their last leg. Harry cleared his throat, his brows furrowed as he was clearly thinking very hard about how he could get the others out. 

“Never-have-I-ever stayed up all night studying.” He concluded happily, knowing that those who were left were much better students than he ever was. 

Hermione stuck her tongue out at Harry and drained her glass in a final gulp. She was definitely feeling the effects of the alcohol. She rarely drank with her busy schedule so the two glasses she had finished thus far were already causing her head to spin. 

The game continued with Audrey giving a cry of victory when she knocked Fleur, Harry and Percy out claiming she had never made Molly Weasley mad. Ginny laughed telling the other witch to just wait as it was bound to happen eventually.

They continued to sit around the fire and tell stories until the embers started to burn low. George and Alicia had been giving each other pointed looks when they stood up and announced that they were tired and heading to bed, everyone knowing that they didn’t actually plan to sleep. Harry and Ginny also jumped up at the apparent permission to leave and headed up to the house, giggling as they went. Hermione had been gazing into the fire still feeling the warmth from the alcohol run through her as her thoughts slipped happily by. She stood up clumsily and announced that she was going to take a quick walk to clear her head before wrapping her sweater tighter around her and headed off down the beach. 

She shuffled her bare feet through the wet sand and looked down the long beach, partially illuminated by moonlight. As she got further away from the fire a deep silence engulfed her with the rhythmic crashing of the waves periodically breaking the air. She noticed that she was getting close to the spot where the group had apparated to after Malfoy manor and she sped up to get past as fast as she could. Not wanting to relive that moment when she wasn’t feeling quite in control of her emotions. She had walked a few hundred feet and the cliffs at the edge of the beach stood ominously in the dark. 

Her name being yelled behind her startled her out of her thoughts as she paused and turned around. Someone was jogging towards her thought she couldn’t tell exactly who. She waited expectantly and was finally able to make out Fred’s face as he came closer to her.

“Planning on walking all the way back to London?” He asked as he came to a stop next to her, slightly out of breath and placing his hand on her shoulder for balance. She could smell the alcohol wafting off of him and his body radiated heat that made her want to wrap her arms around him. She smiled and shrugged before turning to walk again. Fred fell into an easy pace beside her. 

They walked for a few minutes in silence. “So, Charlie huh?” He asked innocently, slurring his words a bit which caused her to laugh. Drunk Fred was apparently the jealous sort. 

“Of course Charlie, who else?” She replied matter-of-factly, not wanting to give any hint that she was being less than truthful. “Thought I don’t suppose I’m quite his type.” She said offhandedly, knowing exactly who Charlie’s type was. 

She shivered a bit and pulled her sweater tighter. Noticing her movements Fred stopped and rubbed at her arms wishing he had brought his own sweatshirt from the fire so he could offer it to her. 

As she smiled up appreciatively at him, her breath caught at how close they were. They hadn’t been this close since the day in the pond a month and a half ago. He noticed the same closeness as he looked down at her, his large hands still on her arms. Her dark eyes were shining in the moonlight as she tilted her head up to look at him. Her pale face illuminated even more in the darkness as some of the hair that had escaped her braid contrasted darkly as it rustled around her chin. He could smell her vanilla perfume mixed with the salty air and dropped his gaze to her full lips. The alcohol heightened his previously held desires as well as his confidence as he leaned down. 

Hermione’s head swarmed with thoughts that flitted past just as fast as her heart was racing. It’s the alcohol she thought for a moment, she knew he thought of her as only a friend so this must be fueled by their drinking. Her eyes widened as he reached up to brush some of her hair away from her face, letting his hand linger for a second. His gaze had dropped to her mouth, staring for a moment before he bent down and tentatively covered her lips with his own. They were soft against hers as she had imagined they would be so many times, the faint taste of whiskey still present. She froze for a brief second in surprise before she began kissing him back, tilting her head so that her lips slanted against his, moving softly. Feeling Hermione respond, Fred raised his hands to either side of her neck, pulling her closer and burying his fingers in her hair, causing more of the curls to spill out of the loose braid. 

She had raised her hands on either side of his waist and pressed forward against him, feeling the warmth of him radiating through her sweater. She felt his tongue trace her bottom lip and she opened her mouth to welcome him. Their tongues entwining with each other as Hermione let out a soft moan. Fred had dropped one of his hands to her waist to mold her body against his. Her head buzzed with pleasure and she looped her arms behind his neck, standing on her toes to get closer. The kiss continued for what seemed like eternity, both participants pulling the other closer as their mouths moved against each other. A cold wave sliding over Hermione’s foot interrupted suddenly, caused her to yelp and look down at the offending intruder. The tide was coming in she thought vaguely, head still swimming from the kiss. 

She turned back to Fred, who still had his arms wrapped around her and found him looking down at her with clear dark eyes. She felt captivated by their deep vastness that stared back at her and for one of the few times of her life, she didn’t know what to say. All she had thought about for the past month was kissing him and in the moment she was entirely speechless. He was silent as well, probably contemplating the best way make light of the situation. 

“Fred, I..” she said quietly. 

“No,” He interrupted, surprising her as he placed one of his hands on her cheek. “Don’t say anything, not yet.” He wanted to live in this moment with her forever and silently willed the world to stop. He heard her sigh and she wrapped her arms around his back, resting her head on his chest. She was short enough that he could place his chin on the top of her head. 

They stayed that way for several minutes, listening to the waves crash on the beach behind them. The effects of the earlier alcohol still present as Fred’s thoughts swam, if he woke up tomorrow morning and found that this was all just a dream he was going to kick himself. They were relying on the heat from the other to stay warm but despite their best attempts, Hermione felt herself involuntarily shiver as goosebumps formed on her bare legs, her feet frozen in the wet sand. Fred sighed and pulled away when he felt the vibrations from her. They looked at each other again before he spoke, “We should probably head back.” 

She nodded begrudgingly and dropped her hands from around him. They slowly started walking back in silence, neither of them wanting to break the moment by talking about it, each lost in their own thoughts. Several times Hermione opened her mouth to say something but then stopped, thinking better of it. They reached the beach in front of the house finding only the black charcoal, the fire long since gone cold in the damp sand. Everyone else seemed to have retired to the house during their walk and the logs now sat empty, cups scattered about them. 

They tried to enter the house as quietly as possible, knowing that Charlie and Ron had laid claim to the couches in the living room for the night. Hermione had brought her things up earlier to a bedroom she was sharing with Ginny upstairs while Fred had claimed the pull out bed in the front porch. As they reached the staircase, Fred caught Hermione’s hand and stopped her from going up. She turned back to him and he looked like he was about to say something but instead dipped his head down and kissed her again. It was quick and soft, causing her breath to catch in her throat. He pulled back and squeezed her hand. 

“Sweet dreams, love.” He whispered, acutely aware of his two brothers sleeping just a few feet away. 

Her eyes widened slightly at his term of endearment. “You too,” she replied quickly before turning away and hurrying up the staircase confused as ever. Her mind was racing, she could understand the first kiss being in the moment, fueled by their intoxicated states, but then he kissed her again? She wracked her brain for any memory of a sign that Fred may be harboring the same feelings as she was. After finding none she conceded and rubbed her eyes tiredly. 

She crept down the hallway to the farthest door on the right trying not to sway as she felt disoriented in the dark. The heavy door squeaked a little as she opened it and she saw Ginny and Harry entwined together, sleeping on the twin bed closest to the door. She was grateful they had at least taken the time to put clothes back on after their earlier activities, there were some things she just didn’t need to see. She quickly changed into the T-shirt and shorts she had brought for pajamas before slipping under the cool sheets on the bed next to the window. The moon cast a light across her and she allowed herself to think of her kiss with Fred underneath the same moonlight. Still confused as ever she ran a finger over her lips, remembering what it felt like to have him kiss her. She pushed through many different emotions before landing on frustration at Fred for changing the status quo. She was just fine nursing a crush on the older redhead while continuing their friendship. Their actions on the beach threw that plan out the window, she thought frowning. Maybe he wouldn’t remember what had happened thinking about how much they had both drank. If only she had that same luxury.


	10. The Night Before

Fred woke the next morning thinking that he must be in the hospital wing and someone must have tried to kill him again. Because there is no way his head would be pounding this much if someone hadn’t tried to off him. He silently wished whoever it was would come back and just finish the job to spare him this misery. His temples were bursting and whoever was clanging things in the background really needed to go jump off a cliff. 

He gradually blinked one eye open but then snapped it back shut as he was met with bright morning light. No, not the hospital wing then. Shielding his eyes with a hand he tried again, this time getting both eyes open and blinking a few times before he was able to take in his familiar surroundings. The floor to ceiling windows found on three of the walls overlooking the beach seemed to be the culprit of his agony. ‘Shell Cottage then,’ he thought, falling back to the pillows trying to remember why he was here. 

Well Bill and Fleur lived at Shell Cottage he deduced, and they just had a baby… whicchhhh Mum had offered to take care of. All of the little pieces slit themselves into place as he continued to remember the details that would eventually lead him to whoever forced him to get this drunk and have this massive hangover. Mum had the baby because Bill had invited people over for a bonfire and that when the drinking started. Knowing that he wouldn’t have gotten this drunk on his own as past experience had shown him he did not like the feeling of being hungover. Why then, did he drink so much? He vaguely remembered taking large gulps of fiery alcohol as people roared with laughter. ‘Of course, that stupid game,’ he thought remembering Ginny standing near the fire explaining the rules. Ginny then, she would be the one he would kill. 

So they had played the game, obviously he and George had been out pretty fast. The people started leaving the fire and Hermione left down the beach.

It was as if just thinking about the brown-haired witch opened some sort of flood gate within his mind. He sat up quickly, though immediately regretting it when his head fell off and rolled to the floor. Hermione. He had gone after her, thought these memories were a bit cloudy given what his state of intoxication must have been. Then a crystal clear memory began to form. He had kissed her. He had kissed Hermione Granger, the girl he had been mooning over since he was 16. ‘And she had kissed him back,’ he thought remembered the feel of hands on his neck and waist. 

He moved to get up before the sheer shock of what had apparently happened last night sent him into a coma. Swinging his legs off of the low lying bed he happened to look over to the small plant stand by his pile of haphazardly strewn clothes. There was a small vial of blur liquid there with a small piece of paper tucked underneath. He picked up both and found the vial was Pepper-Up potion of his own invention, he quickly uncorked it and downed the contents. Immediately both the nausea and headache resolved, leaving him as clear headed as he had been on any good day. He read the small note in his hand, having partially forgotten about it in his relief. 

Thought you might need this, I certainly did.  
\- H

Fred groaned thinking about how much Hermione might remember from the night before. She was a lightweight when it came to drinking as he had found out on many of her visits to his flat after she had a bad day. Maybe the game had been the tipping point that her memory would be shot. But then that would mean she wouldn’t remember them kissing and he was exactly sure he wanted her to forget. 

He dressed as quickly as he could in the cramped space before heading out to the kitchen were Bill was silently pulling pots out of the cupboard, the culprit of the clanging earlier. He looked up and nodded at Fred as he entered. Clearly everyone else would be still be in bed by the sign of the otherwise empty kitchen. Everyone expect one, Fred thought. 

“Have you seen Hermione come down yet?” He asked his brother not even trying to cover up his level of interest. 

Bill smirked at the question and pointed towards the front door. “She was up when I came down. Said she wanted to get her run in for the day so she headed out to the beach.” 

Fred didn’t miss a beat before he had jumped up from the stool and walked out the door. She must have left a while ago and already finished her run because he could see someone sitting on the beach in the distance. As he got closer the gray outline of Hermione’s back came into view, her messy hair hanging loosely in a pony tail. She was sitting cross legged when he got to her, tracing designs in the sand with her fingers as she stared out to the ocean. She jumped and looked over at him when he plopped down next to her in the sand. Her cheeks were tinged pink from the morning chill and wind. 

“Morning.” She said giving him a slight smile. 

He was itching to ask her how much she remembered from last night, wanting to skip over all of the pleasantries. But she spoke again before he even had time to formulate his questions. 

“So,” she said slowly. “Last night was…” she wrinkled her nose as she searched for the right word. “Interesting.” 

Already having been up for well over two hours she had had plenty of time to ruminate on the events of the evening. She had gone over thousands of conversations between her and Fred where they would address this, none of them ending particularly well. Normally her runs cleared her mind but when she got back to the beach in front of the house her thoughts were even more disheveled. She decided the best strategy was the just put everything out in the open and figure out what this meant for them. She refused to lose her friend over a drunken kiss. 

“Yeah, interesting.” Fred repeated back to her. His brows were furrowed slightly as he looked at her as if he was trying to read her mind. 

She sighed, “I remember everything if that is what you are trying to figure out.” 

His face cleared immediately and the corners of his mouth turned up in a sly grin. “Good, I had hoped you would.” 

She wondered what he meant by that. “Because it would wound your ego if someone hadn’t remembered kissing you?” She teased. 

“Kissing me is an experience in it of itself, love. Some might even say the highlight of their life, or so I’ve been told.” He countered back as she laughed. 

They both smiled at each other before something shifted and the air became serious again. Fred messy hair was blowing in the wind, some of the strands flicking across the midnight blue eyes that were looking intently at her. 

“Hermione, I’m sorry if...” She cut him off with a shake of her head before he finished. 

“No, Fred don’t apologize. We were both present last night. We both kissed each other. And if I remember correctly, I didn’t exactly pull away.” 

No, she hadn’t, he thought remembering her small hand about his neck. “Well if you had let me finish you would have found I wasn’t going to apologize for kissing you. I’ve done a lot of apologizing in my life for actions that deserved one, but kissing you is not one of them.” 

She was staring at him with wide eyes, his answer had made her heart start racing. His blue eyes were nothing but serious as he looked intently back at her. 

“Hermione, I care about you. A lot. More than I’ve ever really cared about someone. Other than family of couse.” He ran his hand through his hair before continuing, “I don’t want to put you on the spot or anything. I just thought you deserved to know how I feel, especially after last night. Kissing you was not a mistake for me.” 

She was silent next to him, brown eyes still piercing his. After a few minutes Fred got the growing dread that he had mucked this all up. He was going to lose his best friend over a few minutes of honesty. He should have just kept his mouth shut and attributed the kiss to their drunken states and left well enough alone. He was still mentally berating himself when she spoke. 

“I care about you too.” Her voice was almost a whisper, hardly audible over the crashing waves. “A lot.” 

He wasn’t sure if he had heard her correctly. She had feelings for him as well? The woman who had been at the center of his mind for years may feel the same way. He started to grin and was still grinning when he noticed her frown and furrowed brows, which didn’t seem right to him given their recent confessions. They cared about each other, returned the same feelings. Why wasn’t this a happy thing? 

“Hermione what’s wrong?” Love, this is a good thing,” he reached out to grip her hand. 

“I know it is,” she finally said. “But I just don’t think this is the right time for us.” 

His smile dropped at her words and she continued quickly to explain herself. “Not because I care any less for you. It’s just with everything that’s happened and is going to happen, the timing of it all just seems wrong.” 

She took a deep breath and continued talking, silently wishing herself to just shut up and accept this. “After Ron and Harry left, I felt lost in myself. Since I was 11 I’ve never had the chance to simply be me. I was always a part of the trio and then I was with Ron. And now that I’ve started to be my own person, I don’t know if I’m ready to lose that yet.” She willed him silently to understand as she searched for any emotion in his face. 

With his continued silence she felt like she couldn’t stop talking. “It doesn’t mean that I don’t want to be with you. Merlin knows it’s what I’ve been wanting the past year. But just not yet. You’ve become my best friend and I don’t want to risk losing you by jumping into something I’m not ready for.” 

Her eyes pleaded with him to say something. His face softened as he realized she must think he was upset, and he gave the hand he was still holding a soft squeeze. “I understand Hermione, I really do.” 

Her shoulders visibly relaxed, releasing the tension she had had worrying about his reaction. She had fully expected him to get up and storm off as Ron would have done. But this was Fred, and even with his reputation as a jokester she knew that he was one of the most mature and caring people she had ever met. 

“After George got married and moved out I started feeling off. I could never quite place what it was, just this sense of emptiness. Even when George and Ali were dating we had continued to live together, always made excuses that the shop ran better when we were able to be on location.” He laughed now, knowing that it was because neither knew how to be apart from the other. 

“But then he was gone and I was alone. We had never been apart and I didn’t know what to do with myself. I kept wanting to go to his room to talk or I would yell out a question before remembering that he wasn’t there. It took a long while for me to start thinking of myself as an individual rather than a piece to a whole. I know the feeling of finally discovering yourself just as I know how exhilarating it is once you have it.” 

Hermione nodded, hearing him explain exactly how she had been feeling over the past year or so. 

“I want to say two things,” he said looking at her intently. “One, I would never expect you to give up who you are to be in a relationship with me. Relationships are supposed to only make you better, to allow you to grow as an individual. Your identity should not be based on who you are with and I would never let you be anything less than yourself if we were together. And two, while I completely understand what you are saying it doesn’t make me want to be with you any less. More actually. So, I’m letting you know that I’ll wait as long as you need Hermione. You only need to tell me you are ready.” 

Her heart swelled at his words and she couldn’t stop herself before she had clambered to her knees and thrown her arms around his neck, kissing him soundly. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close. She was higher than him and this position allowing her more control of the kiss. 

After a few seconds she pulled back and looked down at him. “Thank you.” She said simply. 

He smiled and gave her waist a squeeze, “You’re welcome. Though if you keep doing that I may have to retract my offer of waiting.” He said slyly. 

She smiled before releasing him and standing up. She offered her hand to him and leaned back with her entire weight to leverage him up. He grabbed her arm as she stumbled a bit once he was up and no longer acting as a counter weight. 

“Come on,” he said still holding her hand. “I thought I saw Bill getting started on breakfast and there is a house full of sleeping drunks we can wake up.” He had packed a small bag of snaps and miniature fireworks for just this occasion and Hermione smiled mischievously as if she knew exactly what his plan was. They headed up to the cottage and a few minutes later loud bangs filled the quiet morning, followed by screams, yells and rather colorful cursing as the rest of the family joined the living. 

\-- 

“Ginny!” Hermione called laughing from the second floor landing of the Burrow. “I don’t really think you are allowed to be late to your own party.” She finished fastening a long thin chain through her earlobe before going down the last flight of stairs. 

She thought she heard the redhead yell something about how she could do whatever she wanted as Hermione made her way to join the rest of the waiting ladies. It was the Friday after Shell Cottage and they had just spend the last few hours getting gussied up for Ginny’s hen party. The wedding was tomorrow evening, giving them ample time to recover from what was sure to be a crazy night. 

Ginny stumbled through the doorway, catching the frame as she attempted to pull on her strappy, black high heeled shoes. Standing she faced Hermione, Fleur, Gabrielle, Audrey, Alicia and Luna. Hermione shook her head as she took in Ginny’s outfit. If she wasn’t already engaged Hermione had no doubt she would be ending the night with several proposals looking like she did. The tight black dress was strapless and hugged the athlete’s body to perfection. It ended at mid thigh letting her long, toned legs steal the show. Ginny had called this her “single life funeral dress” and she had went all out to grieve Hermione thought. The mass of red hair was piled on top of her head in a sleek bun, large chandelier earrings hung from her lobes. She really was quite stunning; thank Merlin the boys had promised to steer clear of them otherwise Ginny and Harry might not make it home. 

The rest of them were attired in black dresses, all in different styles. Hermione smoothed her hand over her own hip, pleasantly surprised by the old dress she had found stuffed at the back of Ginny’s closet. With the massive amount of work she had to get done in order to have this weekend off, she had not had enough time to make it to a shop. 

As Mrs. Weasley kissed them each on the cheek and gave a stern warning to behave like sensible ladies, they apparated away. Landing in an alley in muggle London the group made their way across the street to the club that Alicia had been raving about for months. As they entered, colorful flashing lights blinded them before they were able to take in the large two story room. A DJ booth overlooked a glowing dancefloor, lit up under black light and neon lasers. Crowded booths and tables were scattered on the outskirts of the dancefloor and people leaned over the balcony above to watch the mass of dancers. The noise was deafening and Alicia had to yell to direct everyone to a booth that was to the left of the stage. The table had a large reserved sign on it that was promptly removed as a waiter recognized Alicia as she came forward. He ushered them all to sit down before taking their drink orders. Everyone laughed as Audrey ordered a Sex on the Beach, the seemingly innocent girl giving a sly grin. 

After their first round of drinks Ginny grabbed Hermione and Luna’s hands to drag them to the dancefloor. They danced with each other to the fast beat of the music before Hermione felt a tap on her shoulder and turned to find a tall blond behind her. He yelled something in her ear about dancing and she nodded, allowing him to take her hand. She moved her hips in time with the music, letting herself get lost in the beat, barely noticing the man she was dancing with. 

\- - 

Fred noticed her right away as he and the rest of Harry’s stag party entered the club. She had her eyes closed and her arms above her head as she moved to the deafening music. The slinky, silk, black dress she was wearing clung to her small body and fell to just below her knees. It had a slit that opened to her upper thigh exposing her tanned leg. He could see her hips moving against the fitted thin material and felt his mouth go dry. Her long, dark curls spilled down her back, swaying as she moved and he could see that her eyes were smokier than usual. He stared at her completely captivated before feeling George nudge his arm. 

“Better wipe that drool off there Freddie, you’re going to make me look bad?” He asked with the biggest smirk Fred had ever seen. 

He cuffed his arm before turning back to his own group. “Ron!” He yelled over the music. “I thought the idea was to avoid the girls tonight?” 

Ron looked at him confused before seeing the familiar group of girls sitting at a booth that was already scattered with multiple drink glasses. He groaned and turned to Harry apologizing and offered to find someplace else. But Harry had already made his way to the dancefloor to join his fiancé who shrieked and practically jumped into his arms when she saw him. Each of the Weasley brothers smacked the back of Ron’s head as they passed him to get to their own booth that was more toward the back of the club. After ordering drinks Harry finally made his way back to them, his hair suspiciously more unkempt than usual. 

Bill, Charlie, Fred, George, Ron, Dean, Seamus and Neville had all met up at the twin’s shop prior to heading into the city. They had been lunatics for trusting Ron to plan the night but since he was the best man… 

After a couple drinks and more than a few a laughs Dean stood up and confidently proclaimed that he was going to ask that “sexy witch of a muggle to dance.” The group laughed at his departure as they watched him stumble over to a group of muggle girls and ask a tall blond to dance. As they made their way to the dancefloor the rest of the men got up to follow, some asking girls to dance on their way out. 

Fred sought out Hermione with his eyes again and still found her on the dance floor. This time she was laughing at something a tall blond man was saying in her ear, the man’s hand was at her waist as they danced. Never having been the jealous type Fred kept his distance, wanting her to enjoy her time out without any scene from him. As the song ended he looked over the see Hermione say something to the man who then kissed her hand and backed away. She watched his retreating figure with a small smile before her eyes met his across the dancefloor. Her surprised look quickly melted away to a bright smile as she pushed her way through the crowd to him. Another song had started to she had to yell when she reached him. 

“What are you doing here? I thought you were with Harry?” She yelled still smiling. He had to bend down to be close enough to her mouth to hear. 

Fred gestured to where his group were now formed into a circle, cheering on Neville as he attempted to dance with moves that mirrored a robot. Hermione laughed at the scene. 

Fred smiled at his friend’s antics before he grabbed Hermione’s hand and spun her making her laugh harder. She looked too good tonight to not be danced with, he thought. He had promised to give her time but that didn’t mean they couldn’t have some fun until then. She pressed close to him as they began to move with the music, his hand dropped to her waist to hold her. As they moved together he ran his hand up and down her side, venturing from her hip to mid back, feeling the sleek curves of her body. Her eyes seemed to darken as she looked up at him and one of her hands came to rest behind his neck. 

The flashing lights lit up her face as she pulled his head down to hers. Their lips met just as they had a week ago. He could taste the fruitiness and alcohol on her tongue as it entwined with his own. The kiss made him hungry for more as he gripped her waist tighter, raising her onto her toes. She pulled away quickly, looking disheveled with a mischievous grin before turning to press her back against him. He groaned as he felt her round bottom against his hips. Cursing her as he bent down to kiss her neck which caused her arms to form goosebumps. The next few songs were fast and upbeat and Fred laughed as he watched Hermione jump around in front of him, singing aloud to the muggle tunes. She had his hands in hers as she pulled him into the dance with her, laughing as he tried to keep in time with her movements. As the next song ended they broke apart begrudgingly to join their respective groups. 

Hermione breathlessly weaved her way back to her own table only to be met with smug smiles from the ladies already sitting there. She glanced around as Ginny said, “Having fun Hermione?” The rest of the group broke out in a laugh having seen Hermione and Fred’s intimate display of affection just minutes before. Hermione blushed feverishly before sliding into the booth next to Alicia who had pushed a new drink at her which she gratefully accepted. 

The rest of the night continued in a similar fashion with laughing and drinking and dancing with strangers. At one point the bartender had brought out a ski-looking contraption that allowed the girls to take simultaneous shots. Hermione hadn’t been wrong earlier as she watched yet another guy ask Ginny to dance. Should have made her wear the sash, she thought thinking about the silk bride-to-be sash Alicia had offered Ginny earlier. She felt someone grab her hands and looked up into the smiling faces of Ron and Harry. They pulled her clumsily to the dancefloor where she danced with her best friends, laughing at each stupid dance Ron did as he insisted it was what “the cool kids did.” 

When the club finally closed Hermione and the other girls had to pry Ginny out of Harry’s arms with the promise that he would get her back tomorrow. They apparated outside of the burrow, a wonder no one gone splinched with their drunken movements. Giggling quietly they entered the dark house and made their way upstairs to Ginny’s room that had already been prepped with mattresses and blankets scattered on the floor. The girls collapsed and laughed as they heard Ginny sigh from her bed, “Best night ever.”


	11. The Potters

Ginny was a bloody genius, Hermione thought at she stared at herself in the full length mirror. They had been woken from sleep that morning by Ginny jumping out of bed shrieking that she was getting married today. Having heard the commotion as a sign that everyone was up, Molly floated trays loaded with breakfast foods into the room. She bent to kiss her daughters head before off handedly mentioning that a hangover potion was mixed into the orange juice. The girls had devoured the meal and almost fought each other to get to the juice. The day had finally come, Hermione mused as she chewed on a piece of toast. Ginny and Harry were getting married.

A few hours later after showering and getting dress she was admiring Ginny’s choice of bridesmaid dresses in her reflection. It was a knee length, flapper-style, light gold dress that had intricate lines of darker gold beading on the top that flowed into levels of beading just below her hips. Hermione gave a tentative twirl and happily found that the beads spun out with her and clashed together as she changed directions. Her long dark hair had been artfully curled into the pin curls of the 20’s that Ginny had specifically requested before being draped over Hermione’s left shoulder. Ginny had insisted on doing each girls make up and Hermione appreciated the rose gold shimmer across her eyelids that warmed up her brown eyes. 

Luna was wearing a similar dress but in a deep blue shade that had the layered beading from top to bottom of the entire dress, her long silvery hair drawn up in a low bun. And Alicia stood in a rosey pink version with beading like Hermione’s but had long chiffon petals at the bottom instead of beads. Her short hair curled in the same style as Hermione’s coming to rest just below her chin. The older girl stood twirling in the middle of the room as Ginny clapped, obviously pleased with her choices. 

Ginny jumped up from her seat on the bed and went to stand in front of her closet. Hermione had not yet seen Ginny’s dress as she had found it after one of her matches in Paris. She had picked it out on her own and refused to show it to anyone until today, telling them all that it was to be a big surprise. As she pulled out the garment bag and unzipped it Hermione gasped at the glittering material that spilled out. Wanting to see it further she helped Ginny pull it the rest of the way out and held it as the other girl stepped in. As she finished fastening up the back she could hear the other girls and Mrs. Weasley’s sharp intake of breath. Stepping back she finally got a good look at the dress and felt her eyes prick with tears. 

It was long and regal just like its wearer. The top was fitted white satin that shimmered with intricate champagne bead work. It hugged Ginny down to her hips before flaring out in layers of feathers that were reminiscent of the layered beading on Hermione’s dress. The end of each feather seemed to be dipped in gold that reflected the light as Ginny turned to look at herself. Where the dress would have swamped Hermione’s small frame, it only enhanced Ginny’s. Molly had crossed the room to wrap her daughter in a hug, tears falling from her eyes. 

Ginny laughed and handed her Mum a handkerchief before Alicia stepped forward and began her ministrations with Ginny’s hair. The red locks were curled, braided and tucked before Alicia declared her “perfect” and turned her so the others could see. The mass of red hair had been artfully done into a low, curled bun at the base of Ginny’s head. There were pieces pulled loose that framed her face in soft curls and gold pearls were scattered throughout the fiery locks. Hermione could see that Ginny’s eyes were shining with tears and she stepped forward to embrace the girl. 

“I’m really getting married.” Ginny said softly as they pulled apart. 

Hermione smiled. “Well it’s about time. We’ve all only known this was coming for the past ten years.” 

Ginny gave a watery smile. Hermione gasped suddenly, only just remembering the gift she had stashed downstairs a few days ago. She told Ginny to wait a moment as she rushed from the room and started down the steps in her bare feet. As she got to the second landing she met someone coming up the stairs. Almost knocking into him in her hurry, Fred grabbed her arms to steady her. 

“You know normally the bride is the one supposed to be running before the wedding, not the maid of honor.” He grinned down at her. 

She swatted at his hands before slipping past him without a word and continuing to hurry down to her bag in the back closet. Pulling out her gift she turned to see that Fred had followed her and was now observing her from the other side of the room, smiling softly as he leaned against the doorframe. 

“You look beautiful, love.” He said once he had taken in her full appearance in the gold, shimmery dress she wore.

She smiled at him, feeling nervous for some reason. “Thank you. Just wait until you see your sister though.” Since confessing their feelings at the beach their only true interaction had been confidently fueled by alcohol. Hermione felt suddenly shy around him which was stupid, she thought, given how much time they had spent together over the past year.   
“You look nice to.” She said looking over his dark grey trousers and deep blue shirt appreciatively. She noticed that he had not shaved for the occasion and the beginnings of a beard was forming on his chin. His hair was cut shorter at the insistence of his mother but still held the slight messiness she had grown to love. 

He smiled back at her and she remembered the package in her hands and the bride waiting upstairs. She apologized quickly before ducked around him and hurrying back upstairs. Entering the room she found that Ginny had finished her makeup and was positively glowing, dark gold shadow adorned her eyelids. She smiled as she stepped forward and handed the girl her package. 

Ginny excitedly tore open the wrapping to softly gasp when she found what was inside. Pulling up the thin gold necklace she examined it carefully before turning to Hermione. 

“It’s the wing,” Hermione explained. “From Harry’s snitch.” 

The snitch that years ago held the resurrection stone had died out as soon as Harry opened it. Hermione had found it a few days after the battle as she was cleaning out her beaded bag, the little wings held extended from the empty golden ball. After Harry had proposed to Ginny, Hermione had started her work on the necklace in her spare time. When she finally figured out how to separate the little wing from the rest of the contraption she was able to string a fine gold chain from either end. 

She stepped forward and helped to fasten the necklace around the girl’s neck. “Something new,” she said as she stepped back to look over her work. The chain and wing of the snitch were so fine that they seemed to blend in with Ginny’s skin, only noticeable when the light caught them. Ginny placed her hand to necklace before pulling the smaller girl into a crushing hug, “Thank you, it’s perfect.” 

The rest of the girls stepped forward with their gifts. Luna handed Ginny a small hair clip shaped like a blue-bell flower for her something blue. After that was fastened into the side of her bun, Alicia handed the bride her own pair of golden high heeled shoes that Ginny had fawning over for years as something borrowed. Mrs. Weasley was last, holding a small handkerchief in her hands. From it she pulled a thin gold ring, a small emerald stone nestled in the middle. She took Ginny’s hand and slid the ring onto the girl’s right hand explaining that the last Weasley woman who had worn this was Ginny’s great-great-great grandmother. She had been the last girl in the Weasley line in decades prior to Arthur and Molly being blessed with Ginny. Ginny twirled the ring on her finger admiring it before pulling her mother into a tight hug.   
“And now,“ Molly said stepping back to admire her youngest child. “You’re ready.” 

\--   
Hermione stood beside Ron several minutes later as they watched Alicia and Seamus walk down the aisle followed by Luna and Neville. She could see past them to where Harry was standing, smiling brightly in his black dress robes as he waited for Ginny. 

“I can’t believe Harry’s getting married.” Ron said softly from beside her. 

She looked up at him and saw he that was looking to the front of the aisle as she had been. “Me either. Seems like yesterday you guys were rescuing me from that troll.” 

He squeezed her hand that was rested on his arm. “And from then on you were the one rescuing us.” She smiled back at him before hearing their cue to start walking. They made their way down the aisle to the soft violin music that was floating around them. Hermione smiled brightly up at Harry and to the other guests as she walked. She found Fred in the crowd and he winked at her as they locked eyes. She shook her head and laughed a little before they made it to the front. After she had wrapped Harry in a tight hug and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek she took her place. Ron shook the groom’s hand and clapped him on the back as he stepped into his spot beside him. 

The music changed subtly to a deeper, more structured tone as the guests turned in their chairs to look at the end of the aisle. Ginny and Mr. Weasley had stepped out of the house grinning at each other. Hermione snuck a quick glance at Harry as he caught site of them and found him staring almost open mouthed at his future wife as she made her way towards him. She wanted to tell him to close his mouth before he came to his senses and broke out into a huge grin. Ginny was smiling back at him, completely oblivious to anything else in the world. When they reached them, Arthur kissed his daughter’s cheek before handing her off to Harry. 

The ceremony went smoothly as the couple said their tear worthy vows and slipped rings onto each other’s hands. Before Hermione knew it Harry had pulled Ginny to him in a kiss and golden fireworks erupted into the sky. She saw George and Fred high five in the crowd as the rest of the guests stood up to clap and cheer for the newlyweds. Ginny pulled away laughing to watch the dazzling display, her arms wrapped around her new husband. Hermione didn’t think that she could ever feel happier than she did in this moment. It was as if every bad thing that had ever happened thus far was just a dream. Ginny and Harry kissed again before heading down the aisles followed by the bridal party. 

The reception space was similar to the setup of Bill and Fleur’s wedding except instead of the purple accents there were gold, pink and blue. The dance floor glowed as the new couple swayed through their first dance. Hermione watched with the rest of the crowd, a glass of bubbling golden champagne in her hand. When the music ended, Harry dramatically dipped Ginny into a kiss that had the group cheering and cat calling the newlyweds. They came up looking quite pleased with themselves before bowing. Mr. Weasley stepped forward to claim his daughter in a dance and Harry came to stand by Hermione snatching a drink of her champagne. 

They watched Mr. Weasley’s stocky figure swing his daughter about the floor, making her laugh with his antics. Harry was grinning ear to ear watching them. He leaned over to Hermione, “So, Fred huh?” He asked nonchalantly.

He laughed at the stunned look on her face. “Oh please, anyone who saw you two dancing last night would have known. You’d have to be blind to not see how you were looking at each other. And you all said Ginny and I were bad.” 

Hermione swatted his arm but grinned at the memory of last night. 

Harry leaned over to her again, his eyes meeting hers. “I’m happy for you, Mione. I really am. It’s good to see you happy again.” 

She hugged him tightly in thanks, pulling apart when they heard the applause signaling the end of the father-daughter dance. Ginny hugged her father before seeking out her groom to pull him back out to dance. Knowing Ginny this party was going to last all night with her never leaving the dance floor. Hermione chuckled to herself as Ron came to stand in front of her. 

“Fancy a dance?” He asked holding his hand out. 

She smiled and put her glass down, “If only you had been this confident before the yule ball. We could have avoided a lot of issues.” 

Ron laughed before leading them out to join the other couples on the wooden floor. They talked throughout their dance, laughing as they reminisced on Hogwarts memories that all seemed to involve Harry leading them into something reckless. 

“You remember that three-headed dog?” Ron snorted through his laughter. Hermione laughed with him thinking back to how brave and grown up they had felt, deciding to take on the task by their selves at age eleven. 

“Of course,” She replied. “I particularly remember the mass of drool that got dropped on your head as well.” Ron shuddered remembering how the slime had felt slipping down his back. 

“I wanted to kill Harry for that one.” They looked over to where Harry was now dancing with Mrs. Weasley in her red dress, twirling her in time to the music. 

“I don’t regret any of it Hermione.” He said, still looking at his mother dancing. “I know I’ve been a git at times and acted less than grateful to have you both as friends, but I really can’t imagine my life without the both of you.” 

Hermione watched Ron’s face surprised, she had never known him to be this sentimental. He turned back to her noticing her watching him. 

“I just wanted you to know that. You’re both my family and that will never change. No matter how many times Harry tries to kill us.” She laughed at the last part and hugged Ron tight as the song ended. She felt him kiss the top of her head before pulling away at the tap on his shoulder. 

The elder twin stood grinning at his little brother, “Mind if I cut in Ronniekins?” 

Ron stepped back letting go of Hermione’s hand, “Course not Freddie-poo.” He backed away, heading over to the dessert table to see what was in store. 

Fred watched the retreating figure of his brother before turning a shocked face to Hermione. “Did he just make a joke?” He asked her incredulously. 

She smiled as he swept her up in a dance. “He’s been a little off tonight. Must be the sentiment of the wedding getting to him.” 

Fred was taller than Ron so she had to take longer strides to keep up with him. She felt light in his arms at several points he almost lifted her off her feet as they spun. The tempo slowed and they fell into an easy pace with each other. Hermione placed her hands behind his neck and looked around at the other couples swaying to the music. “This is beautiful.” She said softly, taking in the soft glow surrounding her. 

“Yeah it is.” He agreed, his eyes trained on the witch in front of him. She looked back to him and noticed the intensity of his gaze. “You really do look lovely, Hermione.” He said softly. 

She blushed but continued to hold his eye. They dance for another few songs before Hermione was claimed by Charlie who announced that he was there to make all her dreams come true. She danced with the rest of the Weasley’s including Ginny and Molly. As the evening winded down she finally was able to dance with the groom and they talked about Ron’s comments before. Harry laughing saying how they had never needed much persuading to follow him on his adventures. 

With the moon high in the sky and the soft music slowly ending its last song, Harry and Ginny made their grand exit for the few remaining guests. Gold sparklers sending them off as they disaparated to Grimwauld’s Place; their new home. Hermione watched them leave before turning to start with the cleanup. However, Mrs. Weasley ushered her away before she could even pick up a glass, saying how she had her own special way of handling things. She watched as the matron waved her wand around and plates began to stack themselves and glasses whirled through the air. Hermione was briefly reminded of the kitchen scene from her favorite muggle princess film, Beauty and the Beast. 

She made her way up to the house, saying a quick good night to the Charlie and Bill sitting in the living room before making her way upstairs, undressing and collapsing on the extra bed in Ginny’s room. Tonight had been perfect for Ginny and Harry and Hermione smiled thinking of her dances with Fred. She never wanted to leave this bubble, never wanted to return to the real world of fear and violence. But she knew that good things could only last so long, especially in her life.


	12. At the Crack of Thunder

The end of summer had brought the usual school rush through the shop. Fred and George were overrun for weeks with shrieking children and amused parents who knew that someone else was going to have to deal with the prankster’s products instead of them. The twins lived for this time of year, no matter how crazy it got. They went all out, spending weeks making enough products to last them through the madness. As the first few days of September approached and the shop only got busier each day closer to school starting, George had taken to staying the at night at the flat so they could keep the shop open later in the evenings and keep up with product restocks. They were both exhausted for weeks until the school year finally started and things calmed down. The train for Hogwarts had left this afternoon and the shop was empty for what felt like the first time in forever. 

Fred had just rested his head on the store counter after a particularly large group of last minute shoppers had left, when he heard the bell above the door chime. He groaned thinking of having to muster the energy to put on a happy face and complete one more transaction. It was near closing time and he briefly thought about sending Ginny’s famous bat-bogey curse at however had just come in. He lifted his head and immediately changed his mind about the curse as he saw his favorite witch walking towards him with a smile. Since the wedding between both of their work schedules, they hadn’t seen each other in weeks, this time Fred being the one who had missed out on Sunday dinners. 

Hermione smiled as she walked towards him. She wasn’t wearing her healer scubs so he assumed she must have had the day off. He looked with appreciation at the dark jeans that hugged her legs down to her sandals, the dark orange blouse she wore flowed when she walked. She came over and leaned her arms against the counter. 

“Hi.” She said, smiling slightly seeing how tired he looked. 

He leaned back across the counter so they were eye to eye, “Hi.” 

She had the sudden urge to close the distance between him to give him a kiss as it hit her how much she had missed him. It had been the longest she had gone with even a quick visit with him in over a year. She almost acted on her desire before George burst through the back curtain swearing about how they were out of skiving snack boxes again. He smiled slowly when he saw Hermione quickly pull back from her position. 

“Hermione!” He exclaimed walking over to pull her into a hug. “It’s been far too long. How’s my favorite witch.” 

She raised her eyebrows at him, “Just fine. Thought I’m not sure you’ll be once your wife and daughter hear they’ve only taken second place.” 

He waved her off telling her that she has always been his favorite, having claimed that spot ages ago after she placed a piece of gum on Malfoy’s seat in their third year. She narrowed her eyes, she hadn’t realized anyone had seen that. 

“But,” he said looking to his brother pouting. “It seems I’ve been replaced as your favorite Weasley.” 

She looked aghast and grabbing his hand, “George I swear, there is nothing going on between Fred and I. You’re the only one for me.” 

Fred rolled his eyes at the theatrical display, gaining a laugh from his twin and Hermione. 

“Gred, I do have a favor to ask of you in regards to your niece who you love deeply with all your heart and would do absolutely anything for.” George said turning seriously back to his brother, knowing this was going to take some groveling. 

Fred raised his eyebrows expectantly before George continued. “I miss my family. And seeing as how it’s dead here now and knowing how much you LOVE to close up at the end of then night,” the sarcasm almost dripped off of his words. “How would you feel if I head out early to get home so I can see Roxy awake for once this week.” He grinned sheepishly at his twin. 

“And you would like me to close up today all by my lonesome?” Fred replied, not being able to miss the opportunity to give his twin a hard time. 

“Wellll, I’m sure you could rope a certain witch into helping you.” George gave a mischievous glance at Hermione who was still standing by him listening to the exchange. 

“On my day off even, George.” She shot at him before looking to Fred. “He would owe us forever you know?” 

Fred pretended to contemplate deeply over the request, knowing full well he would be sending George on his way in a matter of seconds. “Hermione does have a point. Alright. She and I will decide what exactly we are owed as we finish your work tonight.” 

George looked gratefully between the two smiling brightly, but he knew that he was already doing them a favor by giving them some time together. He left the room before aparating back to his own house and family. 

Hermione watched the younger twin leave before turning to Fred. “So what can I do?” She asked looking around. 

He smiled at her before stepping out from behind the counter. “You can come here.” 

He had held out his arms to her and she stepped easily into them, resting her head on his chest for a second before pulling away. “I missed you.” She said as she stepped back. 

Truthfully she had, things had been different between them since the night on the beach. She felt more draw to him knowing that he shared her feelings. She had thought about stopping in multiple times over the past few weeks just to see him but, knowing it was their busy season she didn’t want to distract him. 

The spontaneous trip she had made to Diagon Alley today was actually tsupposed to be a quick run to Flourish and Blotts to pick up a new book. Instead she found herself opening the door of a very different store. 

“I missed you, too.” Fred told her smiling. “Well all of our displays have changed since you actually officially worked here so how about I close up out here and you can do some quick restocking in the back, not much changed there. You remember where everything is?” 

She nodded before heading to the back room to find the list of products that needed restocking. She quickly gathering the already prepped ingredient from their usual spots and starting on the potions. She remembered every step from her previous time here and after an hour she had a few batches of each product already set out on the counter to cool. 

“Sure you don’t want to switch your vocation to full time stock witch?” Fred asked from the door after he had entered and saw how much she had accomplished in such a short amount of time. 

She glanced at him, trying not to break her concentration as she was levitating a fresh batch of puking pastels to a cooling tray. “I’m not sure if I’m fully qualified to work under such rigorous pressure. Plus,” she set the batch down and turned to him. “I hear the owner’s a flirt. Never leaves the employees alone.” 

He laughed at that. “Only the curly haired brunettes who are secret pranksters.” 

“So, at least three or four people a day?” She grinned back, tilting her head to look at him. 

Yes, he definitely had missed her as well. He felt lucky to know this side of the prefect bookworm. To so many others she was stuck up and snooty, not willing to bend the rules for anything. He knew that Harry and Ron saw her differently but even they were surprised to learn how devious she could be. Fred had been making it his personal mission to exploit and expose this side of her ever since she first started helped the twins with their pranks and he saw how carefree she became. He and George used to refer to her as their secret accomplice and actually had gave her a planned role in many of their pranks in school, not just the ones she happened into. 

Everything he had ever wanted in a partner he had discovered in her. She had a wicked sense of humor, one that rivalled his own. She was intelligent but practical enough to use that intelligent for good. She was kind, compassionate in her work and with his family. And she was quite beautiful, she had matured so much from their school days and her dark features and lithe body made his heart race. 

“Are you done out front?” She asked, pulling him back to the present. 

“Yep. I was just about to come back and see if you wanted to grab some dinner before you started insulted George.” 

She wiped her hands off on her jeans and looked indignant, “I would never insult my favorite Weasley.” 

He raised his eyebrows at her, remembering the game around the fire. “Thought Charlie held that honor?” He grinned as she blushed, remembering the moment in question. 

“There are so many of you, I don’t want anyone to feel left out. Yesterday it was your mother when she sent cookies to me at work. Tomorrow it will probably be Ginny. It’s a never ending game of who wins my affections for the day.” She finished putting away the potion ingredients that she had taken out earlier before she turned back to him. “However, you mentioned food so I might be willing to let you share this day with George.” 

“I was hoping you’d say that.” They left through the front door, Fred stopping to cast the usual protection spells over the front of the shop. The air had started to get chilly with the end of summer and Hermione hugged her arms around her in an attempt to keep warm. The sky had darkened considerably and they rushed to make it to the restaurant before the impending rain started to fall. They passed a few other shoppers as they walked down the street, mostly adults given that the Hogwarts train had left earlier today, taking all the school aged wizards with it. 

She and Fred were chatting as they walked, he had just finished telling her about a customer who had thought it was a good idea to purchase a skiving snackbox for his wife instead of regular chocolates for their anniversary. As he wasn’t planning on telling her, Fred hoped that the wife had a good sense of humor else he didn’t see any more anniversaries in their future. Hermione was laughing when she suddenly felt something shift in the air. She paused in her step, her smile falling from her face as she looked around. She couldn’t describe the sensation but if she hadn’t known better she would have said that a dementor had passed close by. It felt like a chill had swept its way down the street but the temperature hadn’t changed. The hair on her neck stood up and her heart began to beat faster. Fred didn’t seem to notice it as he had kept walking, not realizing that she was no longer with him. 

Fred was still chucking at the wizard from this morning when he saw that Hermione was no longer next to him. He turned around to look for her and saw that she had stopped walking a few feet back. Confused he crossed the distance to her, about to ask why she had stopped when he saw her face. It was pale and her wide eyes were looking around them, searching for something that wasn’t there. 

“Love, what’s going on.” He asked concerned. 

She shook her head, still looking around. “I don’t know. Something feels wrong. Can’t you feel it?” She looked at him and her dark eyes met his filled with worry and fear. 

He shook his head and was reaching out to comfort her when there was a loud bang and four people appeared out of thin air around them on the street. The other few shoppers present on the street startled, one woman dropping her package. The new comers were garbed in long black robes, with all too familiar masks over their faces. He felt Hermione stiffen beside him and he reached into his pocket for his wand. Hermione had hers already in hand, an instinct honed over several years spent fighting. 

Barely a second had passed since the figures had appeared before they started flourished their wands, jets of light flashed out in the darkening air. Fred saw one of the shoppers fall to the ground as they were hit, their groceries scattering about them. Hermione had been quick to act throwing up a protection shield in front of another witch before the orange jet of light hit her. She stepped past Fred and started flicking her wand, sending her own spells back at the figures. He focused on a man to the right of him as he dueled. Some of the other witches and wizards who had been present had pulled out their own wands to fight back, while others had aparated away. The sounds in the close street were deafening between the crack of spells, crashing of bricks that fell from the buildings and yells from both parties. 

He was distracted momentarily as he watched Hermione duck and then loose her footing on the uneven cobblestones, a red jet of light barely missing the top of her head as she went down. She came down hard on her right knee, crying out at the impact. She was still focused on the duel but the person who had been attacking her took the moment of vulnerability and moved closer, only a few yards from the injured witch now. Fred felt a moment of panic as he continued to fling spells as his own attacker. He finally found an opening and sent a stunning spell from the tip of his wand, the black figure crumpling to the ground as it hit him. 

He immediately turned to Hermione and they were able to overwhelm the one she was fighting in a matter of minutes. After the hooded man feel Fred rushed to Hermione’s side. He had just started to help her to her feet the few remaining figures vanished, just as quickly as they had appeared. Hermione clung to him, unable to put weight on her knee as they looked around the suddenly quiet street. It had only been about 5 minutes since the attack had started but the destruction was significant. Piles of bricks lay on the street mixed with broken glass, the shoppers who were left looked around just as stunned as they were. 

Hermione’s eyes fell on a man laying just a few yards from them. She tried to take a step forward but her knee gave out and crumpled beneath her. Fred’s arms caught her around her waist and supported her until she put all of her weight on her other leg. 

“Help me, please.” She was still looking in the body’s direction, trying to evaluate the man’s condition from where she was. Fred immediately scooped her up, trying not to jostle her knee. They reached the man and he put her down, supporting her as she bent down to sit next to the man. She noticed the bleeding coming from his chest, the street underneath him already stained red. She pulled the wizard’s shirt down with one hand to look at the wound while her other hand felt at the man’s neck, searching for a pulse. Between the deep wounds and exposed broken ribs, and the lack of a pulse at her fingertips she knew that there was nothing she could do. She pulled her hands back to her, the adrenaline finally catching up to her as she suddenly felt very tired. 

Fred was knelt beside her, had stayed there since he helped her down. They heard more commotion from the other shoppers as people started aparating around them again. Both Fred and Hermione immediately raised their wands in the anticipation of their attackers returning but found instead that it was Ministry officials who had appeared. They looked around somewhat shocked before immediately going to work, evaluating the scene around them. A younger man came over to the body in front of Hermione. 

“He’s dead.” Hermione said simply, watching as the man felt at the victim’s neck. “There wasn’t anything I could do.” 

The man nodded, pulling his hand away before waving his wand over the body, covering it with a sheet before levitating it up into the air. They both disappeared with a pop, leaving Hermione and Fred on the ground next to a puddle of blood. That and the blood on her hands were the only thing that proved the fallen wizard had even been there. Rain had started falling and mixing with the red on the ground. 

Hermione watched as the droplets turned the dried blood on her hands a brighter red again. She felt Fred touch her shoulder. She tore her gaze from her hand and looked up at him, noticing the dirt on his face and the tear across the shoulder of his shirt. Concerned that he may have gotten hurt, she tried to turn to him but was stopped by a shooting pain in her knee as she twisted. 

Fred saw Hermione clench her teeth at the movement. She was sitting on the ground, her injured leg stretched out in front of her. She had a large tear in her jeans over her injured knee and a bloody gash was visible through the hole. He faltered at the site of the exposed bone through her injury. 

“Hermione..” He breathed out.

She grimaced looking at the site and waved him off. “I’m fine. I can fix this.” Her face was pale as she surveyed her injury, trying to push away the thought that this was her own leg, her own blood and bones. She pointed her wand at her leg and muttered spells to stop the bleeding and then to repair the cracked bone within. She cried out at the shock of pain when break knitted itself back together. Once it had subsided she tried to close the skin dismayed to find that it had been deep enough that the spell was working slowly, leaving her with a gash that extended down the front of her knee. As the skin slowly repaired itself she pushed herself up, Fred quickly standing and helping her. She tentatively placed her weight on the knee and breathed a sigh of relief when she only felt mild pain. 

They looked about at the street; shoppers were talking to Ministry officials, giving their recount of the story. Hermione looked down again at the puddle of blood now mixed with rainwater, before she wrapped her arms around Fred’s waist. He held her close, breathing in the familiar scent of her hair. He hadn’t been that afraid since the Hogwarts battle. Even with the attacks that had happened in the past few years they never involved him or anyone he loved. He gripped Hermione tighter remembering the moment she had fallen. 

A Ministry official approached them through the softly falling rain to get their story. They told them what had happened and how the costumes the attackers wore were exactly the same as the ones they remembered Death Eaters wearing during that final battle. The rain was falling hard when they were finally dismissed from the interview. The street felt eerily empty as they stood alone in the heavy rainfall after everyone else had apparated away. 

“I’m ready.” Hermione’s voice rose over the sound of water hitting stone and Fred looked down at her. 

“Yeah, we probably should get out of here.” He ran his hand through his soaked hair, feeling how exhausted he was. As he turned to leave he felt her tug on his hand. He looked back to see what was going on and found her large brown eyes looking up at him. The hair that had been in a braid before was now pulled loose, wet pieces of it clung to her face. There was a streak of dirt on her right cheek that Fred wanted to wipe away. 

“No, Fred, I mean I’m ready.” Still seeing a confused look on his face, she sighed. 

“We could have died tonight. Someone did die.” She took a step closer to him, still holding his hand. A crack of thunder sounded overhead. “All I could think about tonight was how stupid it would be dying without having been with you.” 

He started to smile and reached forward to cup her wet cheek with his other hand. “I want to be with you,” she continued. “I know who I am and I know what I want. When I’m with you I feel more like myself than with anyone else. You’re my best friend and I love you.” 

He almost cut her off as he bent down to cover her mouth with his, the rain pounding over them. He could feel her smile against him before kissing him back. His hands were in her hair and hers at his hips, gripping his wet shirt. Even with the tragedy they just witnessed it was hard to keep the joy out of their kiss. Fred pulled back and Hermione smiled up at him. He presseds another kiss to her lips before wrapping his arms around her shoulder, holding her tight to him. 

“So you love me, huh?” He asked into her hair, smiling against the wet locks.

He could feel her laugh against his chest before she pulled back and looked up at him. He could see droplets hanging off the end of her eyelashes. “Yes. For some odd reason I do.” 

He smiled at her attempt at an insult. “Good. Because for some odd reason I love you too. Just had to wait for you to catch up.” 

She stood on her toe to kiss him again her arms wrapped around his neck. After a while she pulled away again. “I think you promised me dinner,” she murmured against his lips causing him to laugh just as thunder rumbled above them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This has been my favorite chapter to write so far :)  
> For anyone who might have seen it, I did write and post a different chapter yesterday and then deleted it. Just didn't quite seem to fit the story. Plus it was sad, and soooo much darker than this one.


	13. Nothing is a coincidence

After the attack they had stopped for food at a small restaurant in London, neither of them wanting to stay in the Alley. While eating they had discussed what had just happened, falling silent as they discussed the man who had died wordlessly acknowledging their grief for someone they didn’t even know. As they started to leave the small restaurant Hermione had caught his hand, stopping him from aparating, “No magic.” Her eyes looked up at him. “Not right now.”

He had nodded before pulling her out into the pouring rain. They walked at first before starting to run as it rained harder with thunder and lightning went off overhead. 

They ran through the rain instead of aparating because it felt more human. It made them feel alive as their drenched clothes stuck to their skin and the cold water chilled them to the bone. Hermione was tugging on Fred’s hand as she ran slightly in front of him, having the advantage of stamina with her daily runs. She laughed at him as they ran through a puddle, the water from her step soaking through the front of his already damp pants. He stopped to watch her; she had thrown back her head with her arms out as the water poured down at her as she laughed. She opened her eyes again and found him staring at her. Raindrops poured down their faces as they met each other’s eyes in the dim light, flashes intermittently flooding their features with light. 

Hermione’s hair was plastered to her head and her lashes were stuck together. The blouse she was wearing had gone from flowy and light to sticking to her body allowing him to see every curve of her. She was staring at him with the same intensity that he was looking at her with. She quickly stepped forward and pulled his head down to hers, wrapping her arms around his neck. They kissed with a new passion they had yet to experience with one another, both just wanting to feel something after today. She pulled her arms tighter and Fred’s went to her waist lifting her to her toes. Their breath mingled together and Hermione ran her fingers through his hair as she had seen him do a thousand times before. They stood kissing in the downpour, alone on the street in the darkness. Feeling like the only people who existed. 

They pulled apart breathing heavily. Hemione took his hand without saying anything before leading him the last block to her apartment building. They made their way up the two flights of stairs before stepping inside. The apartment was dry and warm against their wet skin. Fred had stopped at the door to watch Hermione enter the familiar space. She kicked off her sandals and turned to him. The lights were still off but she could see him in the dim light from the windows. She stepped forward, slowly placing her hands on his chest when she reached him. 

He tilted her chin up as he bent down to kiss her. It was soft and warm, a sharp contrast to the kiss they had shared in the rain. She ran her hands over his chest before she reached towards the hem of his shirt and raised it above and over his head. Their lips clashed together again as he buried his hands in her wet hair, she felt cool droplets run down her back. Her hands rested on his hips as their tongues danced together. He pulled away from her mouth and started to press kisses along her neck, making her moan in his ear. They were both breathing heavily, her shirt stuck to her chest with each movement. 

He pulled her back to him kissing her deeply, his hands slipping under her shirt to roam over her chilled skin. His thumbs skimmed the edges of her breast causing her to gasp. He took their brief separation as a chance to pull her shirt over her head. Her dark blue bra dipped low across her breasts and he ran his hand over the soft mounds before moving up to her neck. Her skin was warming underneath him and her hands were at his neck again pulling at him trying to get closer. He slid his hands down her body to her backside before lifting her, one hand supporting her thigh, the other at her low back. 

She laughed against his mouth as he picked her up and carried her easily into her bedroom, not bothering to turn on the light as they navigated in the dark. He sat down on the edge of her bed, her legs straddling him. She could feel his need for her through his jeans as she ground her hips against him. He reached up behind her to unclasp her bra, breaking the kiss as he leaned back to admire her, sliding the straps down her arms before tossing the garment on the floor. 

With previous partners she had always felt a little self-conscious but with Fred she wanted him to look at her, to see every part of her. He leaned forward to press a soft kiss against her collarbone causing her to tip her head back, feeling her long hair tickle the bare skin on her back. He moved his mouther lower and focused his attention on her breast while she caressed his shoulders. 

She felt his hand around her back again briefly before he had flipped them, pressing her into the bed as he kissed down her torso. She arched her back to him with the sensations he was causing. He smiled against her skin before reaching for the button on her still wet jeans. Sitting up he peeled them down her legs causing her to laugh as the wet denim stuck to her. Fred pulled his own trousers off, cursing as they caught on his foot before he was able to kick them fully off. She was smiling at him when he finally fell back on top of her. 

He pressed against her as her hips rose to meet his. They kissed here for several minutes before once again he left her mouth and trailed his lips down her neck, chest then abdomen. When he got to her navel he looked up at her and smiled. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever laid eyes on. Her eyes were closed and her swollen lips were partly open. Her chest rose and fell with each breath. He wanted to watch her fall apart beneath him. 

He made quick work of removing her dark blue nickers before laying between her legs, kissing her inner thighs before moving higher, causing her to gasp as he reached her center. She gasped and arched her back against his mouth. His hands came around her thighs to hold her legs while his tongue worked its magic on her most sensitive spot. 

“Fred.. please..” She moaned after a few minutes of his attentions. He chuckled but knew she was close as her breath came in short gasps above him. As his pace increased she felt the coil in her finally unwind as she let go of the control she had over her body. Her release crashing over like waves as her inner walls tightened. She gripped his shoulder, finding it difficult to get a full breath before she finally relaxed and fell exhausted back to the bed. Fred chuckled and slowly crawled back up her body, pressing kisses here and there as he went. 

He covered her mouth with his and she sighed. “Don’t think I’m done with you yet Granger.” He said before nipping her bottom lip. She opened her eyes and smirked as she felt his now free erection against her thigh, “I would hope not.” 

He kissed her hard as he lined up with her and pushed forward. He groaned at the heat and tightness of her. Resting on his elbows he kissed her again as he started to move, slowing thrusting his hips into hers as he set a gentle rhythm. Her breath was coming faster now as she started to meet his thrusts with her own. Increasing the pace he buried his face in her neck. Each moan and cry she gave caused him to become more and more undone. He slammed into her again and again as her fingers ran down his back. He was so close now as he started to feel her start to come apart below him. Hermione gave a small cry and arched up, clenching around him. It was too much for him as with another thrust he lost himself in his own pleasure, crying out her name.

He collapsed on top of her a minute later, breathing heavily. Her hands lazily stroked his back as he felt her heart pound underneath him. “Fred?” She said softly from beneath him. 

He lifted his head lazily off of her chest to rest his chin on his hand and look at her, “Hm?” 

Her brown eyes met his and she cupped his cheek in her hand. “I love you.” 

He turned his head to press a soft kiss against her palm before meeting her gaze again, “I love you too.” 

It was some time later before Fred finally rolled off of her, still breathless from their actions a few moments prior. He lay on his back beside her, heat radiating off of him. Her hair was dry now except for the portions sticking to her neck with sweat. She turned towards him and traced her fingers up and down the arm closest to her. They lay in silence for a few minutes before he turned to face her and put his arm around her waist, pulling her close. She buried her face into his chest and inhaled the comforting spiciness of his scent. It took no time for them to drift off to sleep after their exhaustion from the day caught up with them. Hermione had never felt more safe than she did right then protected in Fred’s arms. Neither of them had nightmares that night. 

\- -

Fred was the first to wake the next morning, which was an anomaly in it of itself. He looked down to the sleeping witch next to him and smiled. Her dark hair was reminiscent of their school days as the rain from yesterday and their other activities had made the curls dry messy and frizzy. She had turned away from him in the night and he traced a finger down the smooth skin of her back. 

Pounding on the bedroom door started him from his observations and jolted Hermione out of sleep. 

“What is that?” She asked sleepily as she pulled the sheet up to cover herself. 

“Hermione!” Came a sharp yell from outside the door. 

She and Fred looked at each other. “Ginny.” They said in unison. Quickly they got up struggled to get dressed. Hermione pulling a pair of pajamas from her dresser while Fred struggled to pull on his stiff trousers from the day before. When they couldn’t find his shirt she panicked and told him to just stay put and keep quiet, not wanting the family to know exactly what they had been doing last night. 

Hermione stepped out of her room to meet Ginny and Harry standing in her kitchen. Harry gave her a sheepish shrug while Ginny’s eyes met hers mischievously. 

“What is going on?” She huffed as she sat down in the stool next to Ginny. 

“Lots of things,” Ginny said quickly, and smirked. “But first things first. FRED!” She yelled out in the direction of the bedroom. Hermione jumped and stared open mouthed at her friend. “If you want your shirt you’d better come out and get it.” 

Hermione groaned internally, having forgotten that she had tossed Fred’s shirt somewhere in the living room last night. Must have been in plain sight for Ginny to have found it when they arrived. She turned and watched as Fred opened her door and strode shirtless out to the kitchen. He grinned widely at Ginny and Harry before snatching his shirt from Ginny’s outstretched hand. He shrugged into the wrinkled material before turning to Hermione with a wink. She wanted to bury her burning face in her hands, instead she shook her head at Fred before turning back to the other two who were both grinning at her. Of all the days for her married friends to waltz in for a visit and they chose today, typical. 

“So, what things?” Hermione asked, trying to redirect Ginny’s attention back to her earlier question. 

“Well for one, you both were attacked last night and didn’t go home to immediately tell the rest of the family that you were alright. Mom was at your flat last night, Fred. She basically floo’d to everyone’s place before George told her where you likely were holed up at.” 

Hermione and Fred looked at each other, trying not to laugh at the choice of Ginny’s words. She felt guilty not letting everyone know what had happened but in their defense they had been somewhat in shock, not wanting to relive the experience over again while being fussed over by Mrs. Weasley. And then, well other things had caught their attention. 

“And second, Kingsley sent an owl this morning saying he would be by the Burrow. There seems to have been some developments with what happened. WHICH,” Ginny pointed her finger at Hermione sternly. “You both will be telling us about instead of having to read about it second hand from the blood Daily Prophet. Merlin they had a picture and everything. Imagine how we felt this morning waking up to you two plastered all over the front page saying that someone had died in an attack.”

Hermione faltered, wondering exactly at what part of the night the picture had been taking. She knew her own copy of the paper was sitting just outside the door but she didn’t want to jump up and run for it, causing a scene. 

Ginny stood up and went to stand by Harry, “I’d suggest you both get ready quickly and head over to the Burrow. Maybe with flowers so Mum doesn’t tear you to shreds.” Harry gave them a maniacal grin knowing the new battle zone they would be walking into. They disappeared with a quick pop and Hermione dropped her head to the counter and groaned. She did not need this today. She felt Fred place his hand on her back and rub gently. 

“Don’t worry, love. I’ve been at the wrong end of Mum’s bad side too many times to count. It’s not so scary.” She peeked out and glared at him. Remembering suddenly what Ginny had said about the paper she jumped up and raced to her front door. Stumbling slightly over their carelessly discarded shoes she grabbed the paper from the floor and ripped the ties off. On the front page in large bold letters read ‘ATTACK AT DIAGON ALLEY: One dead while member of the golden trio fights again’. Fred had come to read over her shoulder. 

“Typical,” he said, next to her shoulder. “I do all the work but as soon as a beautiful woman gets involved I get swept under the rug.” 

She elbowed him in the abdomen and he gave a satisfying ‘oof’. The picture Ginny had mentioned brought back the horrific memories of yesterday. It showed Hermione sitting next to the dead man as the ministry official covered him with the sheet. Fred could be seen in the background crouched next to her and they both watched solemnly as the man was covered. Hermione hadn’t even remembered there being photographers there. 

She sighed and put the paper down without bothering to actually read the article. She turned to Fred and wrapped her arms around him, trying to chase the bad memories of what happened away. He seemed to understand what she was thinking and held her tight. They stood that way for several minutes before pulling apart. 

“We should probably change before heading over. They might not let us in like this.” He laughed taking in his wrinkled clothes and their musky smell. 

Hermione smiled and nodded. They agreed that Fred would go back to his own flat for fresh clothes and Hermione would get ready here. With everything that had happened they agreed that it probably wasn’t the best time to announce their relationship to the rest of the family, at least to the ones who didn’t already know. Fred aparated away a few minutes later, dismayed to have left the bubble they had created for themselves. 

As she stepped into the hot shower Hermione sighed and let her head tilt back. She let herself stand there for a few minutes remembering Fred’s hands on her. Everything was changed between them now, had been since that night on the beach. She felt a new sense of connection that she had never felt before, even with Ron. They just fit so well together, she thought. He seemed to understand everything she was thinking, he really was her best friend. And now her boyfriend and lover, she thought quickly. 

She finished showering and headed back to her room. The sky outside was dark with clouds so she pulled out a dark grey sweatshirt and her favorite pair of worn jeans. She left her hair down as it was still damp, before heading out to the living room, slipping on her clogs and aparating to the Burrow. 

When she arrived at the front step the sky above was even darker than it had been in London. She stepped inside the warmly lit house and could hear yelling coming from the kitchen. So Fred had beat her here, she thought as she walked begrudgingly into the room. Fred was standing on the opposite side of the table as his mother, his jaw was clenched but otherwise he held no outward signs of anger. Mrs. Weasley on the other hand, looked like a tea kettle about to blow, her face was red and Hermione thought she could see steam wafting from her ears. Hermione saw that George, Alicia, Ginny, Harry and Ron all sat as far down the table as they could to avoid being caught in the crossfire. She paused in the doorway and Mrs. Weasley started yelling. 

“We almost lost you once Frederick, Gideon Weasley. Is it so much to ask that after you almost die again, you pop in and let your family know that you are not dead on the street.” Her voice was shrill as she yelled at her son. Hermione could tell that the argument had been going on for at least a few minutes by the underlying hoarseness of Molly’s voice. 

The matriarch glared at Fred and he looked back at her silently. Not getting any response from him, Mrs. Weasley rounded on Hermione making the younger witch jump. “And you. Don’t think you are getting out of this young lady. You are just as much a part of this family as anyone and we were worried sick. When something bad happens where you, oh I don’t know,” she threw up her hands dramatically. “Almost die, please have the bloody courtesy to let everyone know you’re alive.” 

Hermione’s eyes widened, she had only been on the receiving end of Mrs. Weasley’s anger once before and had NEVER heard her curse before. “I’m s.. sorry.” She stammered out. She hadn’t felt this scared since her dad had found out she was using his dental tools in the garden when she was seven. She had almost forgotten what it felt like to have a parent upset with you. 

It was as if Mrs. Weasley had read her mind; “If your parents were here wouldn’t you want them to know you were alive and safe. I think they’d be ashamed of you for your thoughtlessness.” 

Hermione felt her body stiffen at the words. The people sitting at the table had whipped around to look at Mrs. Weasley and Fred clenched his hands. As if she had just realized what she said, Molly’s face fell and she shook her head. “Hermione, I’m..I never..” She glanced at her children looking at her in shock. 

Hermione stared openly at the woman she had considered a mother for years. When she spoke her voice was calm but hard, “Mrs. Weasley my parents aren’t here. In fact my parents aren’t even my parents anymore. They don’t have a daughter, remember?” Mrs. Weasley started to open her mouth but Hermione went on, “If they were here they would be horrified at the things we have all gone through. And yes, they probably would have been just as angry as you are. But my parents would have never been ashamed of me, they would have listened to me because that is how my family handled problems.” 

She ignored the hurt in the woman’s eyes as she said ‘my family.’ “And I would appreciate it if you didn’t pretend you knew them. I am sorry for upsetting you by not informing you of our wellbeing, but you are not my mother. And you do not get to use my parents as punishment against me.” 

She finished and tried not to feel bad as tears formed in the older woman’s eyes. In truth, Hermione was an orphan. She had been since they stopped looking for her parents years ago. She had no other immediate family and while she was grateful for her adopted on, it could never replace the people she had lost. She knew Mrs. Weasley considered her another daughter, but to know how much Hermione hurt over her parents and still bring them up like that was inexcusable. 

The kitchen was silent and Hermione dared not look at Fred, knowing that if she did she may break her resolve and cry. Too much had happened over the past day and she didn’t quite feel in control of her emotions. Luckily Mr. Weasley and Kingsley walked up behind her at that moment. Taking in the tense scene Arthur cleared his throat and suggested they all take a seat. Hermione walked around the table and took the chair next to Fred who gripped her hand under the table when she sat down. Tears pricked her eyes at the small motion of comfort and she blinked them away. 

Kingsley was seated at the head of the table and everyone turned to face him. “There has been some developments from the attack through Ministry sources. But before that I would like to hear exactly what you two saw yesterday.” 

Hermione and Fred looked at each other before recounting the appearance of death eaters in the street and their subsequent attack. They spoke of the dead man, and how the death eaters had disappeared just as quickly as they came. Kingsley nodded as they spoke while the rest of the group looked around with concern. 

“Did you notice if they seemed to be targeting anyone in specific?” He asked when they had finished their story. 

They shook their heads remembering how the four figures had sent spells at the other shoppers. Kinglsey nodded before motioning to Harry and Ron. “When you were on your mission earlier in the year who were you hunting?” 

Ron and Harry looked confused, knowing that they weren’t supposed to share that information to those without clearance. When Kinglsey nodded his permission, Harry spoke.

“Dolohov.” The single name brought back memories of the wizard who had closely followed Voldemort during the war. He had been pure evil and was responsible for many of the deaths of innocent people that had been listed on the radio. He had mercilessly slaughtered families for no reason as he made his way through England searching for Harry. Dolohov had been equated at the same level of evilness as Voldemort, more so because of his apparent lack of end goal. 

George had furrowed his eyes, remembering that it had been Dolohov who had almost killed Fred. “I thought he had been killed at the battle? That’s what all the paper’s reported afterwards.” 

Kingsley shook his head. “No, for a few years we thought that’s what had happened but then he was spotted in Northern Ireland. Since then he seemed to have made his way to Eastern Europe before we had tracked him to Italy. He has been killing all over the country. It was hard to piece the deaths together before a few weeks ago when our informant was able to give specific details.” Everyone was listening in rapture. 

“But then a few months ago we got word that he was back in England. The following he has accumulated is impressive, almost larger than Voldemort’s. They were quiet for a while but then the attacks started. I’m sure you’ve all seen them in the prophet?” Everyone at the table nodded. 

“We thought they were random, just their way of causing fear. But then last night we learned that they aren’t.” 

Kingsley was looking pointedly at Fred and Hermione now. “One of the people from last night was left behind.” Fred thought about the man he had stunned before helping Hermione. He hadn’t even thought about him to see if he had been taken by the others when they disappeared. Kingsley continued, “We were able to learn a great deal from him since he was a new recruit and quite willing to speak. The attacks up to this point seemed to have been practice, making sure that there was still enough vulnerability in the world. But we learned that as random as they seem there is an end goal. Three to be exact.” 

Hermione didn’t quite understand what Kingsley was implying but she felt Fred stiffen against her and turned to him in question. He was staring at Kingsley. 

“I thought we were done with this.” Harry said coolly from across from her. “We defeated Voldemort, we did our duty.” She could see that he was clenching his jaw as he spoke, his fists tight in front of him. 

Ron spoke up at this point, “Hold up, I’m confused. Harry is the bloody boy-who-can’t-be killed-even-by-the-most-powerful-dark-wizard-ever.” He emphasized each work. “Are they seriously dumb enough to try and go after him again?” He laughed lightly glancing at his friend. 

“Unfortunately Mr. Weasley, this time Potter isn’t the only target. Yes, he did defeat the dark lord but Dolohov and his followers seem to consider it a group effort.” Kingsley said calmly from the head of the table. 

She finally got it. “You mean Ron and I?” Kingsley nodded. 

“It seems they hold the three of you personally responsible for their downfall.” He said still looking at Hermione. 

“I mean they’re not wrong.” George joked from beside her smiling, before quickly being shut down by his mother hard look. 

“You may remember the attack at the beginning of the summer a few shops from yours?” He indicated the twins who nodded remembering Mr. Alders. 

“Was that a practice run too then?” Fred finally spoke from beside her, knowing that even as he spoke that it hadn’t been. 

Kingsley shook his head. “Hermione how often had you been stopping by the shop when Harry and Ron were gone?” 

She startled, hearing her name. Looking up at Fred she said, “I don’t know? Maybe once or twice a week. It really depended on my work schedule. Except on-“. 

“Thursdays.” Fred finished for her, thinking back to the day in question. “You normally get there earlier than you did.” 

“But I got stuck at work.” She looked back at Kingsley, feeling everyone’s eyes on her. “Are you saying that not only have they been watching long enough to know my schedule, but that if I had arrived at the shop when I normally would have, it very likely would have been me dead that day?” 

Kingsley nodded. “But then why haven’t Harry and Ron been attacked?” Hermione asked annoyed that it had only been her so far. 

“Our friend from last night wasn’t exactly very helpful in that department.” Kingsley said, knowing what he said next was going to cause some turmoil. “We can only presume that with their position as Aurors, they would be thought to be more difficult to get to.” 

She heard a snicker to her left and leaned forward to see Ron smirking at her. “I mean if you weren’t so puny and defenseless Hermione, maybe you wouldn’t be such an easy target.” 

She glared at him. “Why don’t you tell everyone about our practice in the DA Ronald? And then they’ll see who’s weak and defenseless.” His smile dropped and he narrowed his eyes at her. 

She turned back to Kingsley, her annoyance growing. “I’m basically the reason these two idiots are still alive. And you’re telling me that because I’m not some big scary Auror I’m seen as weak?” 

George was trying so hard not to laugh earning him a hard glare from his father. Kingsley rubbed at his temple, “No. It is not that you look weak. It’s that you are vulnerable. Your job allows random strangers unlimited access to you. You are not surrounded by highly trained wizards on a daily basis as Harry and Ron are. Plus we also learned that they had hoped that by getting to you it would antagonize the others, making them think more irrationally.” 

She looked over at Harry and seeing how angry he was, she knew that is exactly what would happen if something had happened to her. She also knew someone else who would be just a tad irrational if she were to be murdered. She could feel that person tense beside her, having not said a word since realizing her visits to their shop had almost gotten her killed. 

A thought came to her. “And last night?” She asked Kingsley, “How did they know where to find us?” 

His forehead furrowed at this, “That’s something we haven’t quite figured out yet. But until then, all of you need to be more cautious. Especially you three.” He gestured at the golden trio. 

Harry, Ron and Hermione exchanged glances. Hermione felt like she did just before they had gone on the run; like the entire world was out to get them.


	14. Plans and Surprises

The group at the table sat in silence after Kingsley had announced that he would keep them updated with any further developments. He left quickly afterwards leaving more questions than answers. Mrs. Weasley was the first to break the tension, "Well obviously you will go into hiding. All three of you." Several groans went up from around the table at the suggestion but the matriarch continued on. "There is absolutely no reason not to. You aren't hunting horcruxes anymore. There is no mission left for you to carry out that would prevent you from protecting yourselves for a change." 

The three in question simply stared at Mrs. Weasley before her husband spoke, "Dear, I think we all know that going into hiding is not going to be the best option for them. They have lives now; careers, relationships. It would unfair after everything they have given up to ask them to drop everything and leave."

Mrs. Weasley sighed loudly, "Well I don't see how there is any other way. Auntie Muriel has a home in France that was made a safe house during the war. They could stay there until the Ministry has this whole situation sorted." 

Ron snorted at this. "No offence Mum, but we aren't kids anymore. We don't exactly have to do as you say and anyways, we've had more than enough experience protecting ourselves so I reckon we'll be just fine. And there is absolutely no reason that I would ever stay with that old hag." He added offhandedly at the end causing his mother to yell his name in shock. 

"Ron's right Mrs. Weasley," Harry said from his seat, his voice was drawn and short and Ginny gripped his hand. "We aren't giving up any more of our lives just because people are trying to kill us. They've tried before and didn't succeed so I can't imagine this time will be any different." 

Hermione nodded her agreement. Mrs. Weasley looked at the three of them before she threw up her hands and got up to leave the table muttering to herself. Mr. Weasley got up to follow her but paused in the doorway on his way out to turn back to them. "I know going into hiding to protect yourselves isn't an option for you. But you do need to protect yourselves. Ron and Harry, it'll be easier for you with your jobs. But Hermione, Kingsley's right. You are more vulnerable in your position and there have already been two attempts at your life. Now I'm not saying that you have to walk around with several body guards but you do need to think about what this means for you in your daily life." 

Hermione nodded at him before he left to follow his wife. 

After the parents left it was like a free for all at the table, everyone offering their opinions on the best way to protect the three. George suggested that they only go outside if they were under the invisibility cloak. Ginny had thought that a daily dose of Polyjuice potion would be the best option that would allow them to keep living their lives. Fred was oddly quiet next to Hermione, only cutting in to point out how each idea wouldn't work. 

"Well if you're such a genius than why don't you tell us your great idea!" Ginny cried angrily after he had shot down another one of her latest suggestions. 

"If you really think that them all pairing up with an auror to protect them day and night is a 'great idea' then you need to go back to school." Fred said glaringly at his sister. 

Ginny cried out in rage, almost leaping over the table to get at her brother's throat. They started yelling at each other and before long George had joined in. Harry, Ron and Hermione had yet to say anything in this whole conversation and as the fighting continued around they exchanged knowing glances before standing and exiting the room. No one seemed to notice them leaving as they were still to focused on the steam rising from Ginny's head as she yelled at the twins. 

The trio made their way up to Ron's bedroom at the top floor. Hermione took her usual seat, cross legged on the floor while Ron plopped down on his bed and Harry sat on the floor with his back against the other bed. Hermione laughed softly as the scene reminded her so much of all their secret meetings when they were 17, planning on how they were going to save the world from Voldemort. 

"What's funny?" Ron asked from the bed. 

She smiled at her two friends. "Oh nothing. It's been almost six years and you would have thought we had accomplished nothing. Sitting back up here discussing the many threats against us and how we were going to stay alive." 

Harry chuckled next to her, seeing the irony. Soon they were all grinning and laughing together, just as they had so many times before. Hermione had missed this, their companionship, their scheming. They had grown apart over the past few year with their careers and relationships. But sitting here with them again, it felt like nothing had changed. 

"But honestly, what are we supposed to do?" Ron asked when he finally stopped laughing and wiped tears from his eyes. "Dad's right Hermione, you don't have the same level of protection that Harry and I do." 

She sighed and nodded. While it had irked her earlier to be in such a vulnerable position, she wasn't going to give up doing what she loved, what she was good at. So if that was the case then she would need to figure out how to keep herself alive. "I know. Bill has already put wards on my apartment but I can ask if there are any more he can add. But with work, there really isn't anything I can do there. Anyone could walk in and find me without any sort of difficulty. And I'm not leaving my job." She added before Ron could even open his mouth. 

"It means too much to me and if you two aren't leaving yours then there is no way I am."

Harry protested this. "It isn't the same situation. We've been trained differently. There are almost always other Aurors about. Honestly trying to attack us would just be a death wish." 

Hermione stared at him, she had at least thought that Harry would be on her side. "I understand the dangers with me staying at work. But I help people, Harry. I'm not just going to leave because once again people are trying to kill us. I'm sick of running from things. I'm not leaving my job so you can both drop it." Her voice was stern and they knew that that was the end of that conversation. 

"Look," she began again. "I think for now it would be best if we continued with our lives as usual. Though taking higher precautions and being more aware but keep everything else the same. I think any drastic changes would tip them off that we know something. They think they have us, proved that with the attack last night. Maybe if we keep pretending to be oblivious then we could catch them off guard next time." 

Harry and Ron looked at each other before nodding. They knew it was the best option they had that didn't require them going on the run again. Hermione silently gave thanks that they had accepted this decision, because there was no way in hell she was going to go on another camping excursion with them any time soon. 

\- - 

Several hours later when all the yelling had stopped and the house was quiet, the trio crept downstairs to rejoin the group. They informed everyone of the plan they had decided on and sternly told them that there would be not further discussion on the matter. Fred watched Hermione carefully over the announcement. He knew that she wouldn't say anything but he could see how much it had bothered her knowing that the attack last night had been meant for her. And that an innocent man died because of it. After George and Alicia had left to go pick up Roxanne from Ali's parents and Harry and Ginny left as well, Hermione went outside, leaving the other two in conversation. 

Fred watched her leave, knowing she would need some time to herself. He sat with Ron and discussed all of their new product plans and ideas, Ron chipping in here and there to offer suggestions. Finally when the sky had began to glow orange Ron stood up and announced that he need to be leaving. Fred raised his eyebrows wondering where his brother would be off to at such a late hour, especially since he lived at the Burrow. 

The tips of Ron's ears went red and he all but stammered, "I've got a date." 

Fred's mouth dropped open. How had Ron been seeing someone and he hadn't noticed, this had never happened before. The twins were always aware of the intimate happenings of their siblings so they could use it as ammunition to tease them mercilessly. Guess I've been caught up in my own intimate happenings, Fred thought thinking of Hermione. 

"Please don't say anything to anyone. Especially Hermione. We've only been out a few times and are still figuring out some things." Ron said pleadingly as if he could see the wheels turning in his older brother's head. 

Fred laughed and nodded before wishing him well on his date. "Don't do anything I would do, Ronniekins!" He yelled as Ron apparated. 

Finding himself alone he went in search of Hermione, deciding that she had had enough time to stew in her thoughts. He found her sitting on the edge of the dock by the pond. Her shoes were off and her bare feet barely touched the water as she stared down at them. Her hair was rustling in the slight evening breeze, the curls glimmered in the setting sun. He walked up the dock to stand behind her. 

"Fancy another swim Granger?" She jumped at his voice and turned to look up at him. He smiled down at her and she shook her head before patting the spot next to her. He sat down and sat in silence for a few seconds, her feet still swinging by the water. 

"I don't suppose you've reconsidered and are going to allow George and I to furnish you with your own personal bodyguard." He asked. 

Hermione smirked from beside him, "I don't think you'd want that."

He raised his eyebrows at her, "And why not? I thought it sounded like a grand idea." 

"Because," She looked a him with wide, mischievous eyes. "In muggle movies the protected always falls in love with the bodyguard."

He leaned closer to her, "Guess I'll have to apply for the job then huh?" 

She laughed and nudged him shoulder away from her. He chuckled and smiled down at the ripples in the water, "Seriously though Hermione. You really do need to start taking some precautions."

She made a noise beside him, "Like what Fred? Not leaving my house? We were in the middle of the street with other people around last night and they still attacked. I don't think that there is anything that would deter them. So many people have died already. I don't think they are that particularly high on self preservation." 

He reached over and took her hand, knowing she was still upset about the unknown wizard. "No, I'm not asking you to give up your life. I told you that I would never ask that. But I do think that you shouldn't be alone in your apartment anymore, muggle buildings aren't able to have the same level of protection as wizarding ones." 

She looked at him exasperatedly, "Fred I'm not giving up my apartment. I am perfectly safe there."

Fred shook his head. "I didn't say give up your apartment, just not to be alone there. I am more than willing to take up the torch and valiantly offer my time to keep you safe. Heck, I'd even sleep by the front door." 

Hermione's annoyance dropped and she smiled at the image. "Well I suppose we could get you a nice dog bed." 

"I guess I wouldn't mind having you around more," she said looking up at him, her eyes darkening. "It would mainly be at night anyways, and we've already found how enjoyable those can be." 

Fred slowly grinned back at her before leaning over and kissing her. Later that night when they arrived at Hermione's apartment after dinner Fred decided to show Hermione just how much enjoyment he would bring out of this situation. 

\- - 

September and October flew by quickly. Fred and Hermione hadn't spent a night apart since making their arrangement, except on nights like tonight when Hermione was scheduled at the hospital. It had been a quiet night so far, not many patients to look after. She had just sat down to eat when she heard someone clear their throat from behind her. She swiveled in her seat and was shocked to find Ginny standing there. She started to ask why she was here so late when she noticed that Ginny's eyes were blood shot and the tip of her nose was pink. She had been crying. 

Hermione panicked, going at once to the girl. "What it is it? Did something happen? Is it Harry?" She hadn't thought about the threat to their lives much in the past month as all attacks had abruptly stopped. But with Ginny coming here looking the way she did, Hermione could only think the worst. 

Ginny shook her head and sniffed. "No, no Harry's fine. Everyone's fine." 

Hermione placed her hands on her friend's arms. "Then what's wrong Ginny?" 

The redhead looked up at her, her eyes shining with new tears and sputtered out, "I think I'm pregnant." She broke down crying after that. 

Hermione's mouth dropped open but she quickly gathered her friend in a hug, feelings the girl's tears soak through her scrub top. After a few minutes Ginny calmed down and Hermione pulled away. "Are you sure?" 

Ginny nodded, "I mean, not 100% positive but I think so. I'm a couple weeks late and that's so unusual for me. I hadn't even been thinking about it really with the new quidditch season coming up and with Harry's worrying. But then I started feeling awful, I've not been able to keep anything down lately. Then tonight it just kind of hit me. Harry's out of town and I didn't know who else to go to." 

She was starting to tear up again and Hermione rubbed her hands up and down Ginny's arms. "Hermione I'm scared. I don't know if I'm meant to be a mother. I see the way Fleur and Alicia are and they are both naturals. I don't think I've ever even thought about having children, Harry and I havn't talked about it at all. What if he doesn't want it?" Ginny's voice cracked as she said the last part. 

Hermione shushed her friend, "Ginny Weasley, you know Harry will love any child you give him. He was made to be a dad, you've seen how he is with Teddy." Referring to Harry's godson who still lived full time with his grandmother but stayed with the Potter's every weekend. Ginny nodded. 

"But if you're so worried," Hermione continued. "Why don't we find out if you are actually pregnant first." She led the younger with down a few halls to an open exam room. She had done this several other times for expectant mother's but having her friend on the table was different. She handed Ginny a gown and waited for the witch to change before directing her to sit up on the bed. She went to the cupboard and pulled out a few stock ingredients, mixing them together before they glowed gold. She handed the vial to Ginny who looked at it apprehensively.

"It's to see if you actually are pregnant." Hermione said, explaining that if it was positive then Ginny's abdomen would start to glow, if negative then nothing would happen. 

Ginny drained the vial in a single gulp and pulled up the gown she was wearing. They both waited in baited silence staring intently at Ginny's torso. After a few minutes had passed and nothing happened, Ginny breathed a sigh of relief and flopped back on the bed. 

"No, wait." Hermione said quietly reaching out for her friend's hand. Ginny sat up quickly and they both watched as the faint glow Hermione had seen got brighter and brighter. It shimmered for a few more seconds before slowly fading away, leaving behind normal pink skin. Ginny was still staring open mouthed at her belly when the effects of the potion had long worn off. 

"Congratulations." Hermione offered meekly from her stool, still not sure how to react without a signal from her friend. 

Ginny looked up at her and her hand cupped her lower abdomen. "I'm going to be a Mum." She said softly before tears formed again and she started laughing. 

Clearly she was either happy about the pregnancy or going insane, Hermione thought as she stood up to wrap her arms around the girl. "You're going to be the best Mum," She said against Ginny's hair. 

Once she was finally cried out, Ginny pulled away from Hermione and gave her a watery smile. "What else can you do?" She asked the healer.

They spent the next hour or so laughing in the small room as Hermione ran the ultrasound want over Ginny's abdomen. Ginny making comments about how the tiny bud seen on the screen looked just like his daddy. Having quickly gotten over her earlier fears, Ginny was now talking about her plans for a nursery and tossing name suggestions at Hermione. 

"Maybe you should tell Harry before you start painting a random room raspberry pink." Hermione suggested after Ginny's latest color choice. "He might be a bit confused." 

"He's not back until tomorrow night." Ginny said sadly. "Otherwise do you really think I'd be standing here discussing nursery designs with you?"

Hermione turned with a shocked look at her friend to find her grinning broadly. She shook her head and laughed. 

"Really though, I'm glad it was you here with me." Ginny said as she finished pulling her shirt back on. "You calmed me down where I think Harry would have been just as worked up as me." 

"Now," she asked mischievously, reminding Hermione of a different redhead that was currently fast asleep in her bed at home. "How are we going to tell Harry." 

Hermione grinned thinking about all the different ways to break the news to her best friend. "I think I know a couple people who could help with that." 

Hermione had sent Ginny home an hour later to get some sleep while she stayed up to finish her shift. When morning finally came and Draco showed up to relieve her, she headed outside to find that the sun had barely started coming up. She apparated to her apartment and crept into her room knowing that Fred wouldn't be up by now. She found him spread out on her bed, snoring slightly. He had continued to grow out his beard since the wedding, saying how it was to keep his face warm in the coming winter. Hermione actually didn't mind it as much as she thought she would have. 

She crawled under the covers with him and stroked the deep red-brown hair on his chin. He stirred next to her and slowly opened his eyes to find her grinning brightly next to him, "I've got a project for you." 

He smirked and sleepily reached for the hem of her shirt. She swatted his hand away, "No, not that kind of project." He looked defeated and rested his hand on her hip as she went on to explain what had happened during the night and her and Ginny's plans for revealing the pregnancy to Harry. He laughed at their plans after he had threatened to kill Harry for knocking up his sister. 

They spoke for a few minutes about Harry and Ginny becoming parents before they fell silent and simply stared at each other. Hermione leaned forward to kiss his lips as she climbed over him so that she was straddling him. "Now about my other project." She said quietly as they pulled apart. Fred grinned widely and pulled her shirt off in one smooth, practiced motion. He laughed as Hermione bent down to kiss him again, knowing that he was about to have a very good start to his morning.


	15. Promises

When she woke later on that day the grogginess that typically occurred after a night shift hit her, and Hermione wanted nothing more but to throw the covers over her head for the next ten hours. But knowing that she only had a day off before going back to her usual day shifts she begrudgingly swung her legs out of bed and headed to the bathroom. She had promised Ginny help with telling Harry the big news tonight, and this morning she had successfully recruited Fred’s assistance. 

As she showered she pondered their plan of attack. Fred had some very colorful suggestions but since Harry would already be freaking out with the news of becoming a father he didn’t need anything further extravagance causing him to have a heart attack. She dressed quickly after her shower in jeans and a long sleeved dark grey t-shirt. She dried her hair quickly and pulled the curls up into a messy bun. After she had sent a sinister glance at Fred’s sugary cereal next to hers, she scarfed down a quick breakfast and apparated to the flat above the shop. 

She found the Weasley twin she was looking for out working the front counter. She slipped up beside him and kissed his cheek and said a quick greeting before wandering off to peruse the rest of the store. She had seen the products a thousand times but she still enjoyed watching the shoppers discover something new. She smiled at the excited exclamations as groups of kids huddled around the displays and plot who they were going to use the products on. 

Fred smiled at her retreating figure before turning back to the customer he was helping. He loved it when she had days off to stop by the shop. Whenever she was here it always made his day go a little faster and with their plans tonight, he had something to look forward to. George was in the back on stock duty and Verity was putting products out front so as busy as they were, Fred was able to actually enjoy the customers. 

He still couldn’t believe his little sister was going to be a mum though. He initially had thought that Hermione was trying to prank him when she told him the news this morning. How could his baby sister be grown up enough to be having a baby of her own? It still seemed like yesterday he was watching their own mother care for her as an infant. He briefly thought about strangling Harry but then thought better of it as his niece or nephew would grow up fatherless. He could still find enjoyment in the thought though. 

After wandering the store for an hour Hermione made her way back downstairs to the front counter. Fred had just finished helping the last customer in line and turned to her as she perched herself on a stool behind him. She looked much more put together than she had when she was on top of him this morning. He smirked at the thought and she saw his mouth quirk upwards. 

“What?” She asked suspiciously, slowly smiling. 

“Oh nothing. Just thinking about our earlier recreational activities.” She blushed at the memory but continued to smile at him. 

“You are at work.” She said sternly, trying not to laugh. 

He shrugged. “I own the place so unless George wants to fire me, I think I’ll be fine.” 

She laughed at that and shook her head. A customer had approached the counter with an armful of products so Fred turned away again to ring them up. 

Hermione didn’t think she had ever been this happy in her life. She initially had some doubts about how she and Fred would work as a couple after having been friends for so long, but they had come together so easily. He made her laugh and she was just as skilled in that category, much to his surprise. They hadn’t spent a night apart since the attack a few months ago. Their relationship had felt so natural and while they did bicker occasionally it always ended with them laughing over whatever they were fighting about. She was definitely in love with him and smiled at his back as he explained the practical uses for instant darkness powder to the young child peering over the counter with wonder. 

Seeing a long line building up behind the counter she decided to seek out her other favorite twin. George was hunched over a notebook in the back room when she entered, his brows furrowed tightly. 

“I think if you lean any closer you might fall in.” Hermione said from beside him, causing him to jump. 

Seeing who it was he looked up and grinned. “Maybe that’s what I wanted to do. Sure would help me think better.” 

Hermione glanced over his shoulder and found an intricate list of potion ingredients and accompanying spells. “New product?” She asked, not recognizing the specific recipe. 

George nodded as he turned back to the book. “I just can’t seem to get this last step right. Care to assist brightest-witch-of-her-age?” He glanced up at her grinning, knowing how much she hated being called that. 

They muddled over the notebook and then the cauldron trying to make George’s idea for a taffy that deepened or heightened one’s voice work. During their last test run George had been so certain it was correct and confidentially popped the sweet into his mouth. Instead of the helium-like squeak they were expecting, they were met with complete silence. He tried several times to speak but found that he had no voice. His erratic movement and lack of voice had Hermione clutching her sides in laughter; she had warned him that something didn’t seem quite right with this batch.

“What’s so funny?” Fred asked from the doorway, having heard Hermione’s laughter from the front. 

She wiped at her eyes and gestured to George, “Ask him.” She said before having another fit of laughter. 

George turned and glared at her, waiting for her to finish. The look on his face only caused her to laugh more. Both twins watched her hysterics before George rolled his eyes and started gesturing to the sweets in front of him, then to his throat, the to Hermione. 

Fred raised his eyebrows at his twin’s gestures. “So you lost your voice because of a failed batch of voice changing sweets. And Hermione’s to blame?” He got the first part but was a bit confused at Hermione’s involvement. 

George nodded empathetically and smiled, but Hermione stopped laughed and hit his arm. “I am not!” She cried indignantly. “You’re the one who insisted that these would be perfect and decided to play test dummy.” 

George rolled his eyes, clearly deciding that she was to blame no matter what had actually happened. 

“Well,” Fred said, smiling at the two glaring at each other. “Either way I guess you created a new product. Would have been nice as kids to shut Ron up but now we can provide that service to other suffering siblings.” 

They all at least agreed on that and sat around for a few more minute debating a name and trying to guess how long the effects would last for. “Guess you’ll be the first to know, huh Georgie.” Hermione said sweetly from her spot on the counter. 

George glared at her again and started towards her but then stopped suddenly as they heard a loud crash from the store front followed by a sharp shriek of alarms as the wards were violated. They all fell silent and whipped their heads towards the door at the sound. Having closed down the shop prior to coming to the back Fred knew that there shouldn’t be anyone out there to break something. Hermione hopped down from her seat on the counter and started towards the front, her want held in her hand. Fred reached out and grabbed hold of her arm, halting her steps as he remembered the very serious threats against her life.

She looked at him wide eyed before he and George stepped in front of her, motioning for her to stay put. She shook her head quickly, knowing there was no way they were going to be going out there without her. Fred peeked past the curtain to look out to the front of the shop. Seeing no intruders he and George stepped out. Hermione quickly followed and Fred looked at her in exacerbation. She narrowed her eyes at him. 

One of the front windows was shattered and they could feel the cool breeze as the outside air spilled in. Hermione walked forward carefully, trying not to step on any of the large pieces of glass. Fred and George each looked around the other areas of the shop, making sure no one was lurking in the shadows or behind displays. Hermione was looking through the shattered glass of the window and scattered products that had been on display when she saw it. 

“Fred.” She called out. He immediately rushed to her side looking around for what she had found. When he saw what she was looking at he swore loudly called George over. 

If George could speak he would have made many threats to whoever had done this, instead they all stared down in silence at the word ‘MUDBLOOD’ burned deeply into the wooden floorboards of the display case. Hermione subconsciously reached her hand to cover the same word that was scarred in her arm. 

“It must have been a spell that broke through the window. Though it’s odd magic to have a solid force passing through things like that.” Her voice was surprisingly calm as she thought about the logistics. 

George had gone out the front door to check the streets which were now empty after the evening curfew. 

“Hermione..” Fred said, putting his hand on her back. 

She turned to him and saw the concern in his eyes. “It’s okay. The word stopped bothering me a long time ago.” She tried to smile at him but failed as the corners of her mouth refused to move. George had returned from his survey outside and had found nothing but his voice. 

“I’ll head over to the ministry to let Kingsley know what happened.” He said as the others nodded. 

After he had left Hermione turned to the shattered glass, “Repairo.” She said softly and watched as the glass floated upwards before reforming into a solid pane in its casing. She then tried to scourge the word from the wood, frowning as nothing happened. Fred furrowed his eyebrows and tried himself, again with the same results. 

Hermione sighed, “Well I guess you’ll be needing a rug here.” 

She turned to him and Fred pulled her into a hug, wrapping his arms tightly around her shoulders. They stood that way for several minutes. 

Hermione finally pulled away and sighed, “We have to be at Ginny and Harry’s in a few minutes.” 

Fred looked at her concern still evident in his eyes. “Are you sure you’re okay?” He rested his hands on her shoulders. 

She nodded, she wasn’t about to let this get to her when she saw the word on her arm every day. “Yeah, I’m fine. But we aren’t going to bring this up tonight. We’re not going to ruin Ginny and Harry’s moment.” 

She stared at him intently until he nodded in agreement. She hugged him again quickly before they headed to the fireplace to floo over to Grimwauld Place. 

\- -

In the end Ginny and Hermione had decided to take the idea of painting the walls in one of the rooms to an extreme, they were going to do the whole damn nursery. When Fred and Hermione arrived Ginny had already assembled most of baby furniture and was sitting on the ground red faced as she wrestled with a screw on the crib. 

“Why they make these so bloody difficult I will never understand.” She said, swearing as the nicked her thumb on a splintered piece of wood. 

Hermione laughed as she pulled her friend up from the ground and told her to focus on something a little less tedious for a while. She took Ginny’s spot and started to work out exactly what the other witch was doing. It took her a few minutes to assemble the part and a few minutes more to sit and listen as Ginny swore at her. 

“Is that any way to talk around my future niece?” Fred asked from his spot charming different colors on the walls. 

Ginny scoffed and turned to look at him, “Oh please, like you’re any better.” She went to join him to pick out the perfect shade of light green that was going to adorn the walls of her baby’s nursery. 

When they had finished charming the walls the desired color, Fred helped move furniture into Ginny’s instructed place. Hermione finally finished with the crib and helped set out the bedding. Ginny must have been shopping all day to have gotten all of the furniture and other accessories bought in just a day. Hermione admired the other girls selections of soft yellow and green blankets with small owls printed on them. 

“Ginny this is perfect.” Hermione said when they had finished and were standing at the doorway admiring their work. The walls were a peaceful shade of sea foam green with grey and yellow picture frames adorning the wall. One such frame held the picture of the ultrasound that Hermione had printed out for Ginny last night. There were plush animals all over the room. The dark wood of the furniture contrasted nicely with the light, airy bedding Ginny had chosen. 

It was getting dark outside and Ginny was getting anxious waiting for Harry. Since the revelation that they were being hunted, she had been apprehensive about Harry going out on missions again. And now with the pregnancy hormones making her even more paranoid she was almost in tears as she paced the light grey rug in the middle of the room. Hermione was curled up on the plush rocking chair in the corner and Fred was reading through the children’s books, chuckling every now and then as he thumbed through the pages. 

When they finally heard the crack of apparition Hermione and Fed jumped up from their spots and went to hide behind the door of the bedroom across the hall. They listened excitedly as Harry called out for Ginny and she called back, asking him to come up and help her with something. As they heard footsteps pass the door, Hermione opened it a crack to watch the scene unfold. 

Harry had had a long day and he looked tired as he made his way upstairs to help with whatever Ginny needed. In reality he just wanted to turn into their room and collapse on the bed. He poked his head into their room expecting to find her there but seeing that the room was empty, he called out, “Ginny? Where are you?” 

“Down here.” Ginny called back, getting more and more nervous by the second. 

Harry walked a few more paces down the hall to one of the empty bedrooms that had yet to be converted into a guest room. Not knowing what Ginny could possibly be doing in there he poked his head in. His wife was standing in the middle of the room watching him carefully as he entered. “Ginny what’s going on?” He asked before slowly becoming aware of his surroundings. 

He looked around, confused as to why there seemed to be a bunch of baby things in their guest room. Ginny was still staring at him expectantly and saw the exact moment the realization hit him. He turned to her with a large grin forming on his face. 

“Really?” He asked excitedly. 

Ginny nodded, tears forming in her eyes at Harry’s wide grin. “Really.” She let out a laugh as Harry stepped forward and swept her into his arms. Hermione glanced up at Fred peaking over her shoulder and he looked down at her with a wide grin, the arm he had resting over her shoulders tightened. 

The couple in the nursery pulled apart and Ginny laughingly explained her late night excursion to the hospital. At the mention of Hermione’s name Ginny gestured to the door across the hall and the two hiding behind it stepped out with large smiles. Harry laughed as he caught side of his best friend and wrapped his arms around her as Hermione stepped forward to hug him and say congratulations. Fred followed suit and gave Harry a hug before launching into what he called his “obligatory big brother talk.” 

After congratulations had been said and seeing that the expectant parents wanted to be alone, Hermione and Fred aparated back to Fred’s apartment. As soon as they returned to their own space Hermione remembered the events of the earlier evening. She sat down on the couch as Fred watched her, seeing the change in her mood. He took a seat beside her and drew her legs up into his lap. 

“You know I’d never let anything happen to you right?” He asked her after a few minutes in silenc as he stroked her knee. 

She looked up at him surprised. “I’m not worried about that. Honestly people have been after us for so long that I don’t even think about it that much.” She pulled her hair out of the bun and started raking her fingers through it, wincing at the snarls. “I’m more worried that this is going to hurt you. And George and the shop.” 

She sighed and looked up at him. “I’m also scared that you’ll do something stupid.” 

He raised his eyebrows at her. “Well, I’m pretty well known for doing stupid things so that’s a fair possibility.” 

She smiled slightly and shook her head. “I am well aware of that. But I don’t want you getting hurt in all of this. It would kill me if something happened to you because of me.” 

Fred pulled on her legs and gathered her easily onto his lap. She wrapped her arms about his neck as she looked at him. “None of this is happening because of you, Hermione. This is not your fault. The three of you saved the whole bloody world. And I’ll be damned if I’m going to sit back while my girlfriend continues to get all the glory fighting the bad guys.” She smiled at this and rested her forehead against his. 

“Hermione there will never be a time when I don’t want to protect you from the evil in the world. I love you and that’s my job.” He said softly. “However, I would never stop you from fighting because it’s not my place to do so. But I’m sure as hell going to be fighting right alongside you.” 

She kissed him then, soft and light before he drew his hand up through her loose hair and pulled her closer. When they finally separated stared at him seriously. “Just don’t die. I don’t’ think your mother would ever forgive me if I got you killed.” 

He laughed at this before promising to come back to ward his crazy mother off in the event of his untimely death.


	16. Chapter 16

Fred woke early the next Sunday, the sun barely shining through the bedroom window to cast a low light about the room. Hermione was definitely rubbing off on him with the early rising thing, he thought. He looked over jealously at the witch who was still sleeping soundly beside him. He tried to close his eyes and drift back to sleep but he was completely awake and knew that any attempts would be futile. He rolled to his side with a sigh and wrapped his arm around Hermione’s waist. Her dark hair was still in the messy bun she had fallen asleep with last night. It had been a long week for her at the hospital so they hadn’t had much time together after their night of decorating at Harry’s. 

He burrowed his nose in her hair and inhaled the vanilla and berry scent. She was intoxicating to him, more so than any other woman he had ever been with. It was a shock the first time he had been close enough to discover that Hermione smelled the exact same as his love potions had over the years. He remembered making another batch right after he had recognized Hermione’s scent to confirm it was what he was smelling. 

Her scent awaked something in him and he moved his hand lower down her abdomen. As his fingers found their destination and started moving, Hermione shifted and sighed in her sleep. He smiled and leaned forward to kiss her exposed neck. After a few more minutes of ministrations between her legs, Hermione shifted under his hand and slowly opened her eyes. It took her a moment to register her surrounding before she turned and looked at him over her shoulder. 

“Morning.” She said with a slight smile. 

He grinned back at her and leaned forward to his her cheek. She rolled onto her back and brought her lips to his in a slow, sleepy kiss. He increased the pressure of his fingers and she mewled against his mouth. Pulling away, he moved himself lower on the bed coming to rest between her legs. She had taken to wearing one of his T-shirts to bed and he slid the baggy material up to kiss her stomach. Her fingers reached down to run through his hair as his beard scratched at her skin. He pulled her knickers down her legs in one fluid motion and slid his mouth lower. 

It wasn’t long before she was arching into him and crying out in release. He removed his boxers and slid up her body to sheath himself inside her, the residual waves of her pleasure gripping him. They moved slowly together with long strokes. She pulled his head down to hers to kiss him and he felt her begin to quiver beneath him. Increasing his pace, they both tipped over the edge, gripping the other tightly. He collapsed heavily on top of her with a groan, shifting his body lower so he would not smother her. 

He rested his head on her chest and listened to her heart racing. After several minutes in silence, he murmured against her skin. “Run away with me?” 

She chuckled, her eyes still closed and fingers running through his hair. “I don’t think George would be very happy with being abandoned.” 

“We’re basically the same person. Anyone who hasn’t seen us together just assumes that only one of us is running the shop anyways.” He retorted lightly. 

“Well how about my job? I can’t just up and leave.” 

“Psh, it’s not like you’re any good anyways.” He smiled as she tugged lightly at his hair. 

Turning his head, he looked up at her. “Well if you won’t run away with me forever, how about a vacation? Something for just the two of us. No work, no worry. Just you and me.” 

She considered it for a moment, reveling in the idea of having him all to herself without any other commitments. “I think that is the best idea you’ve ever had.” 

He smiled and pressed another kiss to her skin, already thinking about the different places they could go. 

\- - 

They spent most of the morning in bed being lazy and talking before getting dressed and eating a quick breakfast. The weather was getting colder with each passing week into November. The sky outside was dark for the fifth day in a row and Hermione pulled on a thick sweater over her T-shirt muttering about moving to the desert. It was late afternoon before they finally made their way to the Burrow for dinner. 

While they had never hid their relationship from the rest of the family, they had also never officially announced it either. It seemed after the past few months the only ones that didn’t quite see that Hermione and Fred were a couple were Mrs. Weasley and Ron, oblivious as ever. Whenever they both had Sundays off, they arrived to dinner together and while neither was a big fan of crazy public displays of affection, they would hold hands and give quick kisses. It honestly baffled Hermione that Mrs. Weasley hadn’t found out about the relationship yet. 

They seemed to be the last ones to arrive this Sunday, earning them jeers from Charlie about what must have kept them. Hermione sauntered up to the shorter redhead and gave him a quick peck on the cheek, telling him to keep his mouth shut if he knew what was good for him. 

He gave her a cheeky grin back before popping a few of the olives he was holding into his mouth. Harry and Ginny were sitting on the couch, whispering to each other. Hermione knew that they had planned to tell everyone about the baby tonight at dinner and she smiled thinking about how Mrs. Weasley was going to react. The older witch had resisted becoming a grandmother at first, not wanting to think of her own children as grown. But as soon as she held Bill and Fleur’s oldest she instantly fell in love and now spent more time doting over the younger generation than her grown children. She would be ecstatic to learn that another baby was being added to the family. 

Hermione didn’t see Ron anywhere with the rest of the family and she asked Charlie where he was as they all sat down at the table. 

“He said that he’s bring a guest to dinner, left a few hours ago to collect them and conveniently getting out of helping set the table.” Charlie said crossly, remembering how many dishes he had to place by his lonesome. Hermione raised her eyebrows, wondering who would be joining them. She knew Ron was dating again, he hadn’t told anyone but she had known him long enough to recognize the signs. 

Ron still wasn’t back by the time everyone finished taking their seats at the table. Mrs. Weaslsey, deciding that they had waited long enough, had just started to pass the plates around when they heard the telltale crack of apparating out in the garden. Everyone looked expectantly towards the door, waiting to see who had caught Ronald’s fancy. 

When Ron finally entered Hermione almost spit out the sip of water she had just take when saw the person standing behind him. She choked and coughed, ignoring the amused glance Fred’ sent her way as she sputtered. As she watched the two enter holding hands, she almost laughed with the hilarity of it all. Everyone else was staring at them and sending quick glances around the table to see the other’s reactions. Hermione had caught Harry’s eye and found just as much shock on his face as she was sure was on hers. 

Ron cleared his throat at the stunned faces before him. “Mum, Dad, everyone, this is Cho Chang.” 

He gestured to the family at the table, “Cho, this is the rest of my family. You remember most of them from school but I don’t think you ever met Charlie or Bill, my oldest brothers. And then there’s Audrey, Percy’s girlfriend. And you know Alicia already, she and George got married a few years ago.” Ron gestured to people as he introduced them. 

Cho stood smiling behind him, nodding at each new introductions. She hadn’t changed much from school Hermione noted, except the obvious fact of not fancying Harry anymore. Her hair was cut short now, brushing against her chin as she moved her head. Hermione grinned as Harry stood up to give Cho a hug, exchanging pleasantries. Mrs. Weasley quickly followed suit and embraced the girl, welcoming her into their home. As the room relaxed again people began to help themselves to the food circulating the table. 

Ron and Cho sat at the table across from Hermione and she smirked at Ron when he looked up at her. He tried to hide his grin and rolled his eyes back at her. As amusing as this development was, Hermione could not think of a better person for her ex-boyfriend. Cho had always been a quiet girl but she was strong and loyal. She had the patience of a saint, something that had always been lacking in her own relationship with Ron. She was genuinely happy for the both of them. 

“So Cho,” she said to her former classmate. “What have you been doing since school.” She hadn’t seen the other girl since the battle at Hogwarts and unfortunately hadn’t kept in contact with many of her schoolmates. After the final battle she knew a lot of students didn’t even bother returning to finish their education, and many others had transferred out of country. 

Cho smiled tentatively at Hermione, “Well my parents decided to move to Austria after the war; everything that happened really scared them. So I went with and was working as a journalist there. But then a position opened up for news reporter with the prophet and I just moved back a few months ago to take that.” 

“How did you and Ron connect again?” Ginny asked from a few seats down. Hermione had almost forgotten about Ginny and wondered how she was feeling having Harry’s first love sitting at their dinner table. 

The dark haired girl smiled up at Ron who answered for her. “It was later this past summer. I’d been looking at some apartments and Cho happened to live next door to the one I was looking at. She was coming up the stairs when I was leaving and then we decided to get some coffee to catch up. And now here we are.” He squeezed his girlfriend’s hand. 

“You were planning on moving out?” Mrs. Weasley piped up at the recent revelation. She looked upset and Fred laughed at his mother, typical that this was the thing she picked up on with the whole story. 

Ron looked sheepishly at his mother. “Well yeah. Can’t live here with you and dad forever can I?”

Mrs. Weasley looked crestfallen, clearly she thought that was exactly what her youngest son would have been doing. 

Conversation continued around Cho’s job and reminiscing about their Hogwarts days. People tactfully not bringing up the relationship between her and Harry. Soon the girl had relaxed and was laughing along with everyone else as George entertained them with a story about his daughter Roxanne and her latest antics that “proved without a doubt that she was his daughter.” The little girl in question was sitting next to her mother banging her spoon on the high chair.

As everyone finished eating, Hermione watched as Ginny nudged Harry before they both stood from the table. Everyone looked over at them with the sudden movement. 

“We’ve got an announcement.” Harry started, smiling at Ginny who could barely contain her excitement. 

“We’re pregnant!” She almost shouted and laughed as Harry pulled her into a hug. 

Mrs. Weasley cried out happily before jumping up to go and hug her daughter. She had tears in her eyes as she pulled back to then embrace Harry. The rest of the group had all started with their congratulations and the room was abuzz with excitement. Ginny was happily flushed when she had finally been hugged by everyone in the room. She sat back down and laughing, told them all the story of finding out with Hermione and surprising Harry with the news. 

“Have you thought about any names, dear?” Mrs. Weasley asked. “I’ve got the family tree somewhere in the attic if you’re interested in looking it over.” Fred could already see that she was hoping for one of the ancient names for her new grandchild. 

“No, Mum. We haven’t talked about it yet.” She then turned to look at Hermione who was relaxing back in her chair, her arms wrapped around her knees. “We have discussed one thing though.” 

Hermione raised her eyebrows at her friend as she looked at her. Harry spoke then, “We’d like you to be godmother, Hermione. Couldn’t think of a better person.” 

Fred laughed as Hermione’s mouth dropped open in surprise. Her dark eyes were wide as she studied the expectant parents. “Well I.. of course, I.. Oh, I’d love to.” Her response was stammered and she felt tears prick her eyes at the thought of playing such an important role in this baby’s life. She got up and went to hug Ginny and Harry, laughing as Ginny said she wanted the baby to inherit Hermione’s brains. 

\- - 

After the kitchen had been picked up and Mrs.and Mr. Weasley had retired to bed along with the young kids, the middle generation all sat in the living, warmed comfortably by the fire. Bill and Fleur had left earlier in the evening having had to pick up their youngest from Fleur’s sister who was babysitting. 

Ginny and Harry were sitting closely together on the couch, starting to toss names around at Mrs. Weasley’s earlier suggestion. Charlie tossed in random, absurd suggestions now and then, obviously more used to naming dragons and not children. Clearly Pricklebutt was not going to be the name of his new niece or nephew. Ron and Cho had taken over the love seat and were enthralled in their own conversation about the Ministry’s new curfew laws. Hermione sat across from Fred and George playing a game of exploding snaps. She was always horrible at the game and glared at the twins as George won yet another round. Alicia laughed at the sour look on Hermione’s face, saying she looked like Roxanne when it was her bedtime. 

“Don’t worry, love. You have other talents.” Fred said, winking at her. 

She smirked at him knowing exactly what talents he was referring to, having displayed them just this morning. 

“Fred,” Ginny piped up from the couch beside them. “No one wants to hear about your and Hermione’s sex life.” 

Fred started to laugh but was interrupted by Ron. “Fred and Hermione’s what?” He asked looking between the two of them with shock, not sure he had heard correctly. 

Hermione faltered, this was not the way she had thought Ron would find out about their relationship. The rest of the room had gone silent and Cho glanced worriedly between the two friends. Ron had been staring at her, the silence in the room confirming his thoughts. He shook his head at her and stood up, making some excuse about getting something from the kitchen before storming off. 

Hermione immediately got to her feet to follow him. Fred started to stand with her but she waved him off, knowing that having him in there would only make things worse. She followed Ron into the kitchen and found him staring into the icebox, obviously not looking for anything in particular. He heard her come up behind him but refused to turn around. 

“Ron.” She said firmly from behind him. She was not about to let him ignore her. 

He turned around to stare at her, closing the fridge a little too hard and some of the bottles clattered together behind the heavy door. He didn’t say anything just continued to look at her before asking, “How long?” 

His voice was cool as he spoke and Hermione felt nervous for some reason. “Since we were attacked a few months ago.” 

Ron scoffed, “What a bonding experience. Merlin, Hermione. I always knew Fred liked you but I never thought you would stoop that low to date my brother.” 

She narrowed her eyes at him. “I can date whoever I please, Ronald. I think you’re being a little hypocritical since you did just bring home your best friend’s ex-girlfriend.” 

He raised his eyebrows at her, “That’s different. She and Harry never really dated.” 

She threw her hands up. “Yes they did. They were obsessed with each other for the entire year; you and I both know that considering we had to put up with Harry’s mooning over her.” Her voice has risen as her annoyance increased. 

“It’s different. He is my brother Hermione.” He said, the anger creeping into his voice. 

She glared at him. “And I’m your best friend. Why can’t you just be happy for me for once? Everything I do seems to just piss you off. I didn’t choose Fred to spite you Ronald, it just happened.” 

“Then make it un-happen. You cannot date my brother.” 

She stared at him in shock for a few seconds before speaking. “You don’t control me Ron. And you sure as hell don’t get to tell me who I can be with.” She turned at this and walked out of the kitchen. She could hear his angry voice behind her but mentally blocked out his words. Fred was waiting for her when she entered the living room, his eyes searched her face in concern. 

She looked around to everyone else in the room, all sitting in silence. “I’m sorry, but I think it’s best if we leave now.” She looked at Cho who seemed to be trying to disappear into the sofa. “Cho I am so sorry about this, I didn’t meant to ruin your first night here.” 

The girl shook her head and smiled undertandably at Hermione, knowing that she was going to have to have a very serious talk with her boyfriend later. 

Hermione went to give Ginny and Harry a hug before kissing Charlie’s cheek and telling George and Alicia she would see them in a few days. Fred took her hand as she came back to stand next to him, gripping her tightly before aparating. 

When they landed in Fred’s living room Hermione sighed and turned into him, breathing in his comforting scent. 

“I take it Ron was less than less than happy for us?” Fred said as he wrapped his arms around her shoulders. 

She shook her head against him. “No offense to you but your little brother needs to grow the hell up.” 

He chuckled and kissed the top of her head. “None take, he’s adopted anyways.” 

She pulled back and smiled up at him, “I always knew something was different.” 

They sat down on the couch together, Hermione curling into Fred’s side. After a few minutes of silence, Fred spoke again. “So about our vacation, I was thinking Greece?” 

She tilted her face up to look at him, “I forgot about that. Do you really think we can make it work? Our schedules have been so crazy lately.” 

He thought about it for a second. He knew that George would give him the time away, just as he had for his twin’s honeymoon. “How much vacation time do you get?” 

“Given that I haven’t taken a vacation since I started working, I would say a fair amount. We would either have to go soon or after the holidays though. The shop is always crazy near Christmas and it wouldn’t be fair to leave in the middle of that.” She said. 

They decided to beg their respective work partners for time off in two weeks. Fred said that he would make all the preparations for the trip and surprise her with his choices. She had just closed her eyes before remembering something Ron had said. 

“So just how long have you liked me?” She said smirking up at him. 

He shook his head, cursing his little brother. “About a week now. I was just with you for your body before.” 

“I assumed as much, but Ron said something about how he’s know that you’ve always liked me.” She said raising her eyebrows at him. 

He sighed and thought back to their school days. “Let’s just say that discovering I had feelings for you was like fireworks.” 

She looked at him confused for a second before understanding registered on her face. “Really? That long?” She laughed, remembering how stupid she had felt with her crush on him the past years, thinking that he would never like her back. 

He nodded and grinned at her. “What can I say? The maniacal, gun powder toting Hermione Granger was quite enticing.” 

They fell asleep later on that evening, having forgotten about Ron's earlier outburst. There was no moon tonight and the street outside was pitch black. As the couple slept upstairs a dark figure wandered their way down the street, stopping in front of the store front. They stood at that spot for hours, unmoving in the darkness. Black eyes stared up to the top windows as they waited.


	17. Greece

Hermione was working her last shift before they were scheduled to leave on their vacation. Having decided to go prior to the holiday season, she had been working almost every day for the past two weeks. George had been more than accommodating for their plans and Draco and the rest of the healers had been fine with her leaving for a week. She had already packed and it was only a matter of getting home before she and Fred would get to their reserved port key. Fred had balked at her earlier suggestion of flying, apparently perfectly fine with broomsticks but not okay with hurtling through the sky in a big metal box. 

She had just come out of a patient’s room when she bumped into someone. She dropped the file that was in her hand and cursed herself as papers scattered around her feet. “Damn.” She muttered as she bent down to gather them. 

Another pair of hands were helping her and Hermione looked up in surprise as she found the hands belonged to Cho Chang. They stood up together. 

“I’m so sorry, Hermione. I didn’t even see you.” Cho said as she handed the papers back to her.

Hermione waved her off and smiled at the other woman as she sorted the papers back into the file. “No, it’s alright. I wasn’t paying attention.” She remembered with a cringe at the last time they had seen each other. “How are you?”

“Looking for you actually,” Cho said with a smile. “I just wanted to come and talk to you, about Ron.” She said after a couple seconds. 

Hermione furrowed her brows, wondering what the other witch would want to know. She led Cho to an empty clusters of desks down the hall. They sat down and Hermione turned in her chair to face her. 

“Is everything alright?” She asked. 

Cho looked down at her hands. “Do you still love Ron?” She asked quietly. 

Hermione almost thought she didn’t hear her correctly and her eyes widened at the question. “What? No, of course not.” She shook her head. “I mean I do, he’s one of my best friends. But I’m not in love with him.” Her mind raced wondering what Cho was thinking. 

“And you are with Fred.” The other girl asked, meeting Hermione’s eyes. 

She was starting to feel even more confused, “Yes. Cho what is going on? Is everything okay?” 

Cho sighed and nodded. “Yes. I think so at least.” She glanced up at Hermione. “I just wanted to make sure that I wasn’t getting in between anything with you and Ron. You two were always so close in school and I don’t want to cause any trouble.” 

Hermione almost laughed. “No Cho, you are not in the way of anything. Ron and I haven’t been together in a while. And I think we both realized that we are just meant to be friends.” 

She reached out and squeezed one of Cho’s hands. “If Ron is being difficulty about this..” 

Cho shook her head quickly, “No, it’s not that. He’s really been wonderful. We were both surprised at our feelings for each other, honestly.” Hermione smiled. 

“I really like him, Hermione.” She looked up. “And I didn’t expect to. He makes me feel special, in a way I’ve never felt before. I just didn’t want to cause any trouble for you two.” 

“Cho, I think you’re the best thing that has happened to Ron in a while. He genuinely seems happy with you. And I’m really happy for you both. If you’re worried about our argument, Ron always comes around. I’m sure it was just a shock to learn about Fred and I.” 

Cho nodded and smiled. “Thank you. He can be quite stubborn can’t he?” 

“I think that is the understatement of the year.” Hermione chuckled. Cho stood up to leave and gave Hermione a quick hug. She watched the other girl go and thought to herself that if Ron screwed this up she would kill him herself. 

\- - 

When her shift ended a few hours later she apparated home to find Fred waiting patiently on the couch. He jumped up excitedly and followed her into the bedroom where she changed from her scrubs to a pair of dark green shorts a grey long sleeve T-shirt. Fred told her that she would get too hot once they were at their destination but Hermione reminded him that they weren’t there yet and it was cold and drizzly in London. 

They made it to their portkey appointment with only minutes to spare. As they gripped the closed metal ring, Hermione closed her eyes against the unpleasant sensation of crushing darkness. She would rather travel by broom any day over a portkey. 

She opened her eyes as the world stopped spinning. The bright sunlight surrounding them hurt her eyes as she tried to look around. Fred was right about her shirt, she was already feeling the heat around her. 

“This is beautiful.” She said softly as she turned and looked around. They were standing at the top of a cliff overlooking crystal blue waters. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky and the blue of the ocean and sky melded together in the distance. The low lying trees around them swayed in the warm breeze that ruffled Hermione’s hair. She couldn’t stop staring and felt all the stress from the past few months release from her body. She looked over and smiled at Fred who was taking in the same view. 

She stepped closer to him and wrapped her arms around his waist, resting her head on his chest. “Why didn’t we do this earlier?” 

Fred smiled and put his arm around her shoulder. “Someone’s a workaholic?” 

She laughed and pulled back. “As nice as this is, I’m hot and need to change. Where did our bags end up going?” 

He smiled mischievously and turned her around. In her admiration of the view, she hadn’t even noticed the light blue building behind them. It was like a fairy tale house, nestled back between taller trees, two stories high with large windows and balconies adorning the front. A small walk way leading to the front door which they made their way to. 

She looked around for other people, thinking that it was odd not to see anyone else around. When they entered the front door into a large open living room, Hermione looked around before turning confused to Fred. “Where is everyone else?” 

He chuckled. “I told you it would be just us. This isn’t a hotel. It’s one of those muggle places that owners rent out, air beanie.” 

She laughed, “Air B&B?” He nodded watching her walk around and look at the place. The walls were cream colored and there was large, plush furniture around the room. Hermione opened the large french doors facing the cliffside and the warm breeze swept in. Fred knew the place had a large kitchen, already stocked with food at his request. There were three bedrooms and a large en suite upstairs that he couldn’t wait to explore with her. He also knew of another special feature of this place. 

“The bags are upstairs. Let’s go change.” She nodded and went over to him, following him up the stucco stairs to the top floor. Sure enough their bags were waiting for them on the queen sized bed in the largest bedroom facing the front of the house. There was another set of french doors that opened up to a large balcony with wrought iron railings. Fred grabbed her bag as she was reaching for it, opening it himself and rummaging through her clothes. 

She watched him both amused and confused, “Um, I don’t think that any of those will fit you, not really your style anyways.” 

He looked up from his search and smirked at her then tossed a few pieces of clothes at her. She laughed as they smacked her in the face. Looking down she raised her eyebrows at what she was holding. Fred ushered her to change as he pulled his own clothing out of his bag. 

A few minutes later she was staring at herself in the large mirror above the bathroom sink. Fred had handed her a swimsuit, though not the simple one piece she had packed herself. This was a new one she didn’t recognize and she shook her head at his antics. At least he had good taste, Hermione thought as she surveyed herself. It was a clean cut, two piece bikini, though nothing outlandish which she appreciated. The grey green color suited her slightly tanned skin and showed off her toned abdomen and the top came together between her breasts with a simple knot. She smiled thinking of Fred picking out the garment and pulled back on her shorts and a black tank top she had grabbed. She gathered her hair up in a pony tail as she walked back out to the bathroom. Fred was waiting for her having already changed into his bright yellow and grey swim trunks. His chest was bare and Hermione briefly thought about postponing whatever plans Fred had for other recreation activities. 

He narrowed his eyes at her, seeing the look on her face. “Mind out of the gutter, Granger. We have a schedule.” She laughed and let him lead her back down the stairs to the front of the house. They followed a narrow trail to the cliff’s edge, Hermione looking at Fred in apprehension as they got closer to the edge before she saw the staircase they were headed to. When they reached the bottom, her knees ached from the multitude of steps they had just descended. 

They were standing on a much shorter cliff overlooking a picturesque white sandy beach. She didn’t see a direct way down to the beach and turned to Fred in question. He was no longer standing beside her and instead was making his way over the jagged rocks, periodically pausing to look over the edge. She followed him confused until he came to a stop, apparently finding whatever he was looking for. She came to stand by his side and looked down. Instead of another set of stairs she was met with the crystal blue water of the ocean, gentle waves lapped at the rocks about 30 feet below them. Fred turned to grin at her as she realized what his plan was. 

“No.” She said backing away from him. “There is absolutely no way in hell.” 

He reached out and caught her hand, tugging her back to the cliffs edge. “Sorry, love. It’s the only way down.” 

She was peering over the edge with wide eyes. He laughed before turning to the edge himself. His movements caught her eye with surprise and she screeched as she watched him leap forward into the air and fall with a large splash into the water below. Her heart was racing as she watched the water waiting for him to surface. When she saw his red hair break the surface she breathed a sigh of relief and glared at him. He shook the water out of his hair and grinned up at her while he tread water. 

“You know I can just apparate over there, right?” She yelled down at him, eyeing the beach. 

He continue to grin up at her, spreading his arm wide and he floated backwards. He knew there was no way she was going to pass on a challenge, especially not after he had already done it. 

She sighed frustrated before turning to shimmy out of her shorts and tank top. Fred stared up at her as she returned to look over the edge, admiring his purchase on her. She stood there for a few moments before taking a deep breath and pushing herself off of the edge. She yelled on her way down and then suddenly she was surrounding by warm salty water. She allowed her self to sink a bit, reveling in the sensation before pushing upwards towards the air. She surfaced and her eyes stung as she looked over at the redhead grinning widely next to her. 

“Nicely done, Granger. Next step, conquering brooms.” He laughed as she splash him. They started to make their way slowly through the calm water to the beach. When they were close enough to feel the soft sand under their feet, Fred pulled Hermione to him in the water. She wrapped her arms around his neck as his went to the bare skin of her back. In the water they were finally eye to eye and she leaned forward to kiss him. 

Her lips were salty against his and he slid a hand down to her bikini covered bottom and pulled her closer to him. They stayed that way for several minutes before she pulled back, “This is absolutely perfect.” 

He pressed a quick kiss to her cheek before pulling her towards the shore. 

The sand was hot under her feet as she made her way up on the beach. Fred followed her taking in the way her swimsuit clung to her body. She caught him looking at her when she turned and smirked at him. 

“See something you like?” She asked, smiling. 

He went up to her and placed his hands on her waist. “Well I did pick it out, love. Though I must say that it has fully exceeded my expectations.” 

They made their way to the towels Fred had magically sent down from the house earlier. Hermione cast the spell for sun protection over both of them, not wanting to think about the burn that the redhead would get. They spent the rest of the day on the beach; occasionally get up to cool off in the water. At one point Hermione drifted off, exhausted from the day. 

When she woke the towel next to her was empty. She turned over and sat up, pulling her knees to her as she looked around. The sun had gotten lower and the sky was starting to get a pink tinge to it. She saw who she was looking for out in the water, he was up to his shoulders, looking away from the beach. She stared at him for a few minutes before standing and making her way to the water. When she reached him she pressed herself against his back, standing on her toes in order to stay above the water. He glanced over his shoulder at her, placing his hand on the arm around his chest. 

“What are you thinking about?” She asked after a few minutes of silence. 

“Everything.” He said, still looking out at the horizon. “Just how absolutely crazy our lives have been. With school and Voldemort, almost dying. And now there are people trying to kill you.. again.” 

He turned in the water to face her and wrapped his arms around her waist. “We could just stay here. No one would ever be able to find you and you would be safe.” His eyes searched hers, “Hermione, if something were to happen to you I don’t know what I would do. I never thought I could care this much about anyone. All I want is to be around you, to keep you safe.” 

She leaned forward and pressed her lips softly against his, understanding exactly how he felt. “We’re going to be fine. We always are.” 

He nodded and hugged her to him. Seeing how low the sun had gotten he remembered his other plans for the evening. He apparated them from the water to standing at the front door of the house, dripping on the stone walkway. She wrapped her arms around her at the sudden loss of warm water around her. 

“I picked out something else for you.” Fred said pulling her towards the house. They made their way back up to the bedroom and he gestured towards the bathroom. Narrowing her eyes at him she walked over to look into the room. When she saw what it was she peeked back out around the corner to look at him. He was grinning brightly back at her. 

“Are we going somewhere?” She asked. 

“You’ll see. Now get ready.” He turned away from her and began to pull clothes out of his bag. 

She went back to stand in the bathroom looking at the dress Fred had hung on the curtain rod. She turned on the shower and quickly rinsed off the salt that had dried on her skin and hair. She dried her curls quickly and pulled on undergarments before slipping the dress over her hips. 

Ginny must have helped with this purchase Hermione thought as she pulled up the small zipper in the back. The floaty navy blue dress fell to her mid-thigh and dipped low to expose her cleavage. There was black and silver beading across the top that ended at the tie that cinched her waist. Yes, Ginny definitely picked this one out. She wondered where they were going as she applied a light layer of eye makeup and decided to leave her curls loose around her shoulders. Grapping the strappy sandals from the counter she padded out to the bedroom. 

Not finding Fred in the room she continued downstairs. She didn’t see him immediately but when she walked past the open doors in the living room she saw him standing out near where they had arrived earlier. She slipped her shoes on before walking out to meet him. He was wearing a pair of light grey pants and a white button up shirt with the sleeves rolled to his elbows. He heard her approaching and turned around. 

Fred silently sent thanks to his sister for her expert fashion choices as he looked over the woman approaching him. She looked absolutely beautiful and the setting sun shone off of her dark hair. 

“So where are we going?” She asked when she reached him. 

He took her hand and smiled down at her. “You’ll see.” He turned on the spot, pulling her with him. 

When she opened her eyes again they were in a dark alleyway. Fred was still holding her hand as he lead her out to the open street. She stared up in awe at the structure lit with glowing lights above them. 

“The Parthenon.” Her face hurt from smiling as she took in her surroundings. Fred smiled to himself, knowing how much she would love this. 

The spent the next hour or so wandering around, taking in the massive structure as lights lit it up in the dark sky. She was stunning in the glow of the spotlights, her dress fluttering in the soft breeze. Checking the time he went to collect Hermione who had been studying the sculptures that loomed above him. He promised that they were coming back tomorrow before making their way to the restaurant he had booked. The patio they sat on had an excellent view but nothing could compare to the food and wine they were served. Hermione laughed at him as he scarfed down his fish, comparing him to Ron. 

As their evening ended and they started to make their way back to the house, Hermione was the one to take his hand and turn on the spot. Expecting to arrive in front of their residence he was surprised to find themselves on the beach from earlier, now lit by the moonlight. 

He looked down at Hermione in confusion as he heard the waves splash over the sand. She had stepped away from him and slipped her sandals off of her feet. Keeping her eyes on him she silently untied the string around her waist and slid the zipper of her dress down. He felt like he was in a trance as he watched her slip the dress off of her shoulder, letting it pool around her feet on the sand. She turned away from him and started walking towards the water, unclasping her bra as she went. When she reached the water she slid her panties down her legs before walking into the water. The small waves lapped at her skin the deeper she went. 

Fred watched as she walked into the ocean his heart pounding in his chest seeing how her skin glowed in the moonlight. He stepped forward and pulled his shirt over his head to follow her. When he slipped into the water behind her he was fully naked. She laughed as he wrapped his arms around her and buried his face in her neck. The water was up to her chest and her wet hair stuck to her back. 

Fred bent down to take her mouth with his, slipping his tongue past her lips. She moved her hands up to burry themselves in his hair, pressing herself against him. Under the water she could feel the harness of him against her stomach. She squeaked against his mouth as his hands went to her legs to lift her in the water, bringing them to eye level. She stared into his eyes as she lowered herself onto him. He groaned at the feel of her and leaned forward to kiss her. The waves splashed against them as she moved, using his shoulders as leverage to lift herself. They moved with each other until Hermione fell over the edge and dropped her forehead to rest against his, her breath halting. He kissed her hard and thrust upwards into her, finding his own release.

They gripped each other tightly in the warm water. When they finally did make their way back up to the house, Hermione collapsed onto the bed, not bothering to put clothes back on. Fred had opened the balcony doors before joining her. The cool breeze swept over them as he pulled her back against him and quickly fell asleep.


	18. Protected

The next few days were spent in absolute bliss. Fred really had planned everything out and Hermione marveled at his ingenious as they enjoyed trips to different parts of Greece, indulging in the local sites and cuisine. They had gone on hikes over cliffsides, rented bicycles, been taken out on a fishing boat as Fred attempted to fish like a muggle. There was never a dull moment and they found many opportunities throughout the day to sneak off by themselves. 

It was their final day before they had to leave and they decided to spent it relaxing around their house and on the private beach. The day was absolutely perfect, as all their days had been. The sun was high in the sky and a light breeze broke through the heat of the day and caused the ocean water to move seductively. Hermione was currently on her third jump off of the cliff that had given her such trouble the first day. Fred was laughing from the ledge above her as she surfaced once again in the crystal water. He took a few steps back before leaping into the air himself, coming down hard in a cannon ball a few feet from Hermione. 

She held her arms up against the large amount of water that had splashed up in Fred’s landing. Laughing she looked around and waited for the redhead to surface. After a few moments her smile dropped, she tried to look below the water as best as she could, finding it difficult with the waves and her own movements. She was looking down when she yelped as she felt something grab her leg. She irrationally thought shark before being pulled under the warm, salty water. As she kicked to the surface she bumped up against a solid object and came up face to face with Fred. 

He started laughing at her seeing come up wiping salt water out of her eyes. 

“Will you never grow up?” Hermione said when she finally was able to look at him. 

He slid through the water to get next to her. “Never.” He said before dunking her again. 

They spent a few more minutes attempting to drown the other before starting to swim towards the shore. The water was warm around their bodies and Hermione kept trying to grab at Fred's foot to halt his progress. About halfway there Fred paused in his stroke as he caught site of a figure on the beach. Hermione almost ran into him with his sudden stop and looked around him to the beach to see what had made him stop. There was definitely a person standing near their towels on the beach and Hermione looked at Fred in apprehension, to the best of their knowledge the beach was privately owned and there wasn't supposed to be anyone else down here. They treaded water before seeing the figure wave their arms overhead at them. 

Figuring that someone who was there to kill them probably wouldn’t be acting like that, they continued to swim the several yards to shore. When they got closer the familiar features of George came into view. Fred smiled brightly at his twin, wondering if he was there to crash their vacation. As he walked out of the water and got closer however, his smile dropped seeing the look on his twin’s face. George met him halfway up the beach and Hermione stopped in her tracks as she too saw George’s expression and her heart began to race. 

“What happened?” She asked, almost too scared to know the answer. She had never seen him look this way and it was terrifying. 

George looked painfully between the two. “It’s Ron. They got to him.” 

Hermione’s eyes widened, “Is he alright? George what happened?” She heard the panic in her own voice and saw Fred glance at her. 

George shook his head quickly, “No he’s not. We need to go.” 

The urgency of his voice prompted the other two along. They all apparated directly into the house and gathered their things. They didn't even take the time to look one last time around their paradise as George already had a portkey waiting for them and a few minutes later they were hurtling through the air. 

When they landed, Hermione recognized the familiar surroundings of her work place. She looked around trying to register which floor they were on, then felt her heart sink seeing they were where critical patients stayed. Down the hall they could see a group of people huddled in the small waiting room, red hair adorning the heads of most of them. The three struck out down the hall and were met by the cries of Mrs. Weasley who had jumped up to pull the two newcomers into an embrace. 

Hermione’s hair was still dripping down her back when she was finally released from the older woman’s grasp. She looked around at the other group members and found each one had a crest fallen face. Harry’s jaw was tightened so much that Hermione was surprised he had any teeth left. Mrs. Weasley had obviously been crying and the site of it made Hermione’s heart drop. She was almost afraid to ask what had happened, fearing the absolute worst for her best friend. She tried to blink the tears forming in her eyes away before turning to Ginny who was sitting closest to her. 

“What happened?” She anxiously asked the younger witch. Ginny stared back at her and shook her head before answering. 

“Ron was attacked last night. We don’t know a lot of details but he’s really hurt. Cho was with him.” Ginny’s voice had begun to waver as she spoke. 

Hermione looked around, confused. “How do you not know what happened? Haven’t they told you?” As soon as she asked the question she knew that neither person must be aware enough to be able to provide details. Injuries serious enough to keep one unconscious this long under magical medical care frightened Hermione. And as a healer she had seen the outcome of such injuries too many times. 

“I need to see him.” She said sharply, not bothering to hear anyone’s response before she strode down the familiar hallway and found the room with Ron’s chart outside. The door was heavy as she pushed through. She had been in theses rooms countless times under very different circumstances, always professional in nature. But now she felt as vulnerable as ever, not knowing what sort of condition she would find her friend in. 

The site on the bed caused her to falter in her step. She stared wide eyed at Ron’s figure under the blanket. He was breathing, assisted by a ventilation spell that Hermione had performed on so many poor individuals. Seeing that the gashes across his face and upper torso were unhealed she knew they had been made by dark magic, similar to what was used on George when he lost his ear. 

As she crept closer to the side of his bed she could see the edges of bandages wrapped about his torso under the blanket. Wondering how far the damage extended she lifted the blanket and gasped, tears forming quickly in her eyes. His whole body was bandaged, well not his whole body, Hermione thought viciously. She couldn’t tear her eyes away from the place where his right foot should have been. 

She didn’t even hear Fred enter the room behind her. Didn’t know he was there until he put his hand over her shaking ones holding the blanket. She was trembling as he pulled her away from the bed and into his arms. She didn’t make a noise, just stood shaking, her arms pulled up to her chest. 

Fred had followed the witch into the exam room, seeing her walk with the same determination she would have entering her own patient’s room. It wasn’t until she entered the room and saw her friend that the professional demeanor dropped. He watched as she surveyed his brother, having a deeper understanding of the medical side of things than Fred did. When she lifted the blanket though he could see her start to shake as she stared down at his little brother. He went to her then, pulling her away from the horror that his mother had told him about just a minute prior. She didn’t say anything as he held her. When he finally pulled away and looked down he found that her eyes were dry and her lips were pressed together. Her hair was still damp from the ocean that they had just come from and Fred wished more than anything that he could take them back, to escape the hell around them. 

He moved the hair off of her face as she continued to look at Ron on the bed. Harry and Ginny had entered the room at that point and Ginny went over to quickly hug Hermione. Fred took this opportunity to go over to his brother. He didn’t know where to touch him that wasn’t bandaged. Settling with Ron’s left hand he squeezed with all he had and the gravity of the situation finally hit him. His vision blurred as he stared down at his mangled brother, registering that he wasn’t even breathing on his own. 

He heard a sob from behind him and turned to see Harry envelope Hermione in a hug. She was heaving in his arms and he could see tears falling freely from her closed eyes. Harry was whispering to her, stroking her hair as his own tears fell. They held each other as tight as they could, sharing a bond that no one else understood. Fred squeezed his brother’s hand one more time before he left the other two and went out to join the rest of his family. Right now Harry was who Hermione needed as they wept for their best friend. 

When he rejoined the group he hugged his mother again. “What happened?” He asked his father when he pulled away. 

Mr. Weasley had a very grim look to his face, though it was evident in his eyes that he had been crying earlier. “He was found this morning a few blocks from the Ministry just lying in an alley way. Those monsters didn’t even bother to bring him anywhere, just left him.” His jaw clenched. “There was so much blood. The healers here say he has cuts all over him and he lost so much blood. But there was something else done to him. Even with the wounds he should have woken up by now but… 

His eyes darkened as he looked past Fred to the room where his youngest son was. “They did something to him. He was barely breathing when he was found but the healers haven’t been able to find anything that would be causing this. It’s like there is nothing there, he should be awake.” At this he broke and Mrs. Weasley stepped forward to hug her weeping husband. 

Fred looked to the rest of his family remembering something that had been said earlier. “And Cho? Ginny said that she was with him.” 

He saw George shake his head and gesture to the room next to Ron’s. “Same as Ron.” Fred saw something darken in his eyes before his twin pulled him aside. 

“The healer’s said it looked like she may have been tortured. Like they did it to get to Ron or something. She’s really bad, Gred. They’re not sure if she’s going to make it.” George placed a hand on his twin’s shoulder before pulling him into a hug. He couldn’t help but think how easily it could have been Hermione and Fred. 

Fred was having the same thoughts, knowing that Ron was just one of the people being hunted. This changed everything. They had gotten to one of them, the one that was supposed to be better protected because he was an auror. His heart raced thinking about Hermione being found like his brother was. 

The whole family waited for hours on the floor in silence. Hermione and Harry had eventually came out of Ron’s room, both looking exhausted. They sat on one of the uncomfortable seats holding hands. No one spoke as nurses passed them with looks of sympathy. After a while an older healer approached the group and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley stood up, clinging to the other in anticipation. 

“I understand that you all want to be here.” The healer addressed the family. “But I’m afraid that we still do not know what is causing their conditions. Unfortunately visiting hours are over and we do need to ask you to leave. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, as Ronald’s parents you are allowed to stay to be with him. But the rest of you, I’m very sorry.” 

He bowed his head respectively at the family before gesturing at Hermione. She stood up and went to stand next to her colleague and he spoke in hushed tones to her. 

“Ms. Granger I am very sorry about your friend. As a healer, I know you understand more than the rest the seriousness of this situation.” 

Hermione nodded at him, trying to will herself not to cry again. “Do we really know nothing about what happened? About what's wrong with them?” 

The older wizard sighed and nodded. “There is no record of any magic that would be the cause of their ailments. That is never a good sign. Ms. Granger the rest of the healer’s know that you were supposed to be back at work in a few days from your vacation. However, with recent events we want you to take as much time as you need.” He squeezed her arm, having grown very fond of the younger healer during her time at the hospital. 

She nodded appreciatively at him before he turned and walked down the hall. Returning to the family she found the rest of them saying good byes and making plans to take shifts to be with Ron. As people started to leave Hermione and Fred picked up their travel bags before Ginny came up to them with Harry in tow. 

“We were thinking,” she started when they reached the other couple. “It might be better for you guys to stay with us at Grimwauld? It’s still a safe house and loads more protected than either apartments.” 

Ginny’s eyes were pleading with them and Fred was thankful for the opportunity to stay there, knowing otherwise he would have stayed up all night, fearful about someone coming for Hermione. 

He looked at Hermione who nodded. They followed Ginny and Harry through the Floo system before stepping out into a familiar living room. Ginny had been busy decorating now that she couldn’t play quidditch with the baby. The walls were lighter and the deep brown couches much more welcoming than the previous high backed black ones. They all sat down in silence, Hermione reaching instinctively for Fred’s hand. 

Hermione spoke first, looking to Harry. “Do they think this is Dolohov?” 

Harry looked up at he as she spoke and nodded. “It was too personal not to have been.” He ran his hand through his hair angrily “What they did to them. It wasn’t just an attack, it was torture. It would have taken time to cause that much damage but no one heard or saw anything. They were just found like that, lying in a bloody alley way.” 

Ginny took her husband’s hand at the anger in his voice. She knew he was blaming himself for the situation his friends were in. Hermione had the same understanding and she spoke firmly to her friend. 

“Harry. You cannot blame yourself for this. Not anymore. Both Ron and I chose to stand with you.” Harry shook his head at this but she continued, “But it wasn’t just you; we were fighting to protect more than just you. It was our lives too, our families. Yes, knowing you gave us a cause and a mission, but do you really believe we wouldn’t have been fighting even not knowing you?” 

He looked up at this. He knew she understood how he felt about involving his two friends in the mess of his life. He had blamed himself over and over again with each bad thing that had happened to them. But he knew that it was irrational and he knew Hermione was right. She and Ron would have been in danger either way, the many deaths at the battle of Hogwarts proved that there wasn’t really anyone who was safe. 

The group sat for a few more minutes in silence before standing and heading to bed, no one feeling hungry for dinner. Ginny showed Fred and Hermione to a guest bedroom on the floor below her and Harry's bedroom. 

Hermione stood in the room silently, not really sure what to do with herself after the events of the day. She couldn’t stop thinking about Ron laying on the bed, his skin shredded. Tears formed in her eyes and threatened to spill over until she felt Fred’s arms wrap around her from behind. She relaxed immediately against him and gripped at his arms, looking for a lifeline to hold on to. She turned into him and buried her face in his chest, holding him as tightly as she could while he stroked her hair. 

They clung to each other in the middle of the bedroom for minutes, not daring to move away from the other. When Hermione finally pulled back she saw that Fred’s eyes were red. 

She suddenly felt selfish, “Fred, I’m so sorry. He’s your brother and I’m acting this way.”

He shushed her and cupped her face in his hands. “He’s as much your family as he is mine. More in a way.” He knew everything she had gone through with Ron, and how much he meant to her. She knew him better than anyone and would feel the loss of him just as much as his own mother would. 

They finally started to get ready for bed. He saw Hermione pause and looked over at her, finding her staring down at herself in the bikini top he had picked out for her. Neither of them had taken the time to change clothes when George came to get them, instead had just dressed over their swimsuits. He was still in his trunks and had simply pulled a t-shirt on before leaving. 

Hermione was looking at her bathing suit remembering the tranquility in which they had started their day out. Greece felt like a lifetime ago and she wished they could just go back. To disappear in the bliss they had been enveloped in over the past week. 

“Hermione?” She looked up out of her trance when Fred spoke, seeing him staring at her. 

Her lips quivered as she tried to smile at him. “I was just thinking.. I just wish..” She couldn’t continue as tears spilled over and slid down her cheeks. He reached her in a heartbeat and pulled her to him. 

“Shh. I know. I do too.” He said, understanding exactly what she was saying. 

He helped her untie the knot of the suit between her breasts and slipped the top down her shoulders, her skin felt sticky from the dried ocean water. She slipped her shorts and bikini bottoms off, holding onto his arm for balance as her vision was still blurred by tears. When she was finally bare she pulled his own shirt off before untying the string at his waist and pushed the material down his hips. 

She stood on her toes to kiss him, searching out his familiar touch. He kissed her back, needing the same reassurance that she did: they were alive and safe, and they were together. They fell wordlessly back on the bed and continued to touch each other, finding comfort in the familiarity of their bodies against each other. 

When they finally fell asleep a while later, Hermione’s thoughts went to Cho. She had done nothing other than to be with Ron and she was hunted for it. Hermione gripped the arm around her waist tighter and felt Fred pull her close. She would never let anything happen to him, she thought fiercely. He would be safe no matter the cost.


	19. Chapter 19

She woke with a start the next morning, her nightmare dissolving in the soft morning light. Fred was still sleeping soundly next to her so she rose silently and made her way downstairs. In the kitchen there was a fresh pot of coffee that she helped herself to. Turning to look out the window to the new garden Ginny and Harry had added, she saw her friend sitting on the outside steps. She went to join him and sat down without a word, sipping her coffee. 

The garden was a peaceful area, with fresh plants that glistened in the rising sun. A small pathway weaved its way through the short trees Ginny had planted last week. There was the start of a swim set Harry had been building. She could already see Harry and Ginny’s child running around in the space, laughing as they played on the swings. She and Harry sat silently together for several minutes, and in those minutes Hermione almost forgot what had happened to Ron yesterday. 

After a few minutes Harry spoke, interrupting the peace of the morning. “Do you think he’ll be alright?” 

Hermione glanced at him, hearing the underlying concern in his voice. “I don’t know.” She sighed. “I really don’t. It’s rare to come across magic that the healer’s aren’t aware of, and that makes us nervous.” 

It was an answer she had told many patient’s loved one and she found that hearing it about her own friend was not comforting at all. They fell silent again, thinking about their friend lying unconscious in his hospital bed. Hermione’s thoughts then turned to Cho, who was only in there because she was with Ron. 

“Harry.” She said quietly, not really sure how to approach this topic. “Have you and Ginny talked about what’s been going on? Not everything with Ron but just the overall threats?” 

Harry studied her, knowing there was an underlying question. “Yeah, of course we have. It’s hard not to with how much she has been worrying lately. Why?” 

She was quiet for a second before saying softly, “I just keep thinking about Cho.” 

With that statement he understood what she was really worried about. He looked at his friend carefully, knowing exactly how she felt. “Hermione, Fred will be alright. So will Ginny.” 

She turned to look at him, her brown eyes wide and full of concern. “But what if they aren’t? I’m sure Ron thought Cho would be alright and now she’s lying in a hospital bed. They are only in danger because of us.”

He nodded. “Hermione we are both worried. Ginny’s pregnant and has a giant target painted on her because of me.” He ran his hand through his hair roughly, “We both understand what being together means and unfortunately Ginny can’t be convince out of anything. But she’s strong and I don’t think anything could keep her from fighting back with this.”

Hermione was silent for several minutes before he spoke again. “Fred’s strong too you know?” His voice quieter than before. 

She felt tears prick her eyes as he saw right through her. “But he doesn’t have to be. There wouldn’t be a reason to be if it weren’t for me. Wouldn’t you do everything in your power to protect Ginny if you could? To make sure she is safe.” 

He looked at her in sympathy, understanding the war that was ranging in her mind. She wanted to protect Fred, but since being with her was the direct threat, the only way to do that would to not be with her. He had gone over this exact same thought process when he had ended things with Ginny before their seventh year. It was really hard knowing that you were a threat to the person you loved.

“Yeah I would. But unfortunately we all know that Ginny is her own person and will make her own decision,” he smiled slightly thinking of his wife. “Hermione, we’ve all seen the way Fred looks at you. I know you’re worried about him but do you really think not being with him would make him care any less? Would make him risk anything less for you?” He reached over to take her hand. 

While she heard his words and understood the rationality behind them, there was an irrational part that would do anything to keep Fred safe; he wasn’t going to end up like Cho. 

They sat in silence for several more minutes before hearing commotion behind them in the kitchen. She could hear Ginny and Fred start to argue about who would get the last of the cereal. She smiled sadly, thinking about what she had to do. 

\- -

The next two weeks slipped by without any changes in Ron or Cho’s condition. Christmas was less than a week away and there had been no preparations done for the holidays in the Weasley family. Hermione had gone back to work right away; she needed the excuse to stay busy. She spent many nights in Ron’s hospital room after her shifts and would only return home to collapse in exhaustion or shower before her next shift. Between her work schedule and the Christmas rush at the store, she and Fred had rarely seen each other since their vacation. In truth Hermione was avoiding him, trying to put distance between them to prepare herself for the inevitable. 

She had just finished one such shift and had slipped up to Ron’s room after evening visiting hours were done. His physical condition had improved since his initial attack, he was no longer on a ventilation spell and the multiple cuts across his body were healing nicely, leaving only thin red lines. Medically he should have been awake by now. 

When she got to the room she went over to the bed to look at him and squeezed his hand, willing him to wake up and look at her. When he didn’t she sighed and took her usual seat in armchair next to the bed, pulling her book out of her bag. During her free time at work she scoured the hospital library for any mention of what might have been done to Ron and Cho. Unfortunately, it was one of the few times in her life the library had failed her. 

She read for an hour before movement at the door caught her attention. Her heart skipped when she saw a flash of red hair through the small window but then she relaxed when Ginny poked her head through. The witch smiled slightly when she saw Hermione sitting in the chair, her knees pulled up to her chest and a book in her hand. The scene reminded Ginny of their Hogwarts days which seemed such a long time ago. 

“How’d you get past the nurses?” Hermione asked, watching her friend went to stand next to her brother. Her pregnancy had started to become more and more noticeable every time she saw her. 

“Told them that I had something very urgent to discuss with healer Granger.” Ginny said without looking at her. Her tone was not playful like Hermione would expect, instead there was a hardness to it which made Hermione concerned. 

After a few minutes of checking on Ron, Ginny turned and sat on the small couch along the wall. She tried to make herself comfortable which seemed to be getting more difficult with each passing month. She sighed and gave up before turning to Hermione. “Now, care to explain to me why you are avoiding my brother?” 

Hermione faltered, she hadn’t thought it had been that obvious with everything going on. Ginny must have seen her expression because she continued. 

“Hermione you rarely leave this place anymore, and when you do go home it’s only to sleep. I understand that you want to be here with Ron but I think there is something more going on. It isn’t like you to be avoidant of someone and I’d like to know why.” 

Hermione bit the inside of her lip. “It’s nothing Ginny. I’m just needed here.” 

Her friend scoffed and shook her head, “No, you’re not. There hasn’t been any changes in over a week which you would know considering you’ve spent all of your free time here.” She looked pointedly at Hermione. “Harry told me you said some things to him but then he refused to tell me what. So my only option was to hunt you down myself.” 

“Did Fred say something to you?” Hermione asked sullenly, knowing that Ginny was not going to drop this until she got her answers. 

“Of course not, he doesn’t need to. You can see how upset he has been just by looking at him. I stopped over a few days ago and he told me that you two have barely seen each other in almost two weeks. Blamed it on work and the holidays but I’m not stupid, I know something is going on. He just seems confused, Hermione. And hurt.” 

She leaned forward towards Hermione. “Did something happen between you two? I know you had just gotten back from Greece, did something happen there?” 

Her statement about Fred’s condition both surprised and hurt Hermione. She didn’t want to think of Fred being upset with her but she also couldn’t stop thinking about him in a hospital bed like the one Ron was laying in.

“No, nothing happened. Greece was wonderful.” She said to the redhead. And it was, it had been perfect actually. She wished on a daily basis that they would never have left that beach. 

Ginny was getting frustrated. “Then what is going on? You two seemed so happy before you left.” 

Hermione looked down at her hands and shook her head. “It’s really nothing. I just think we should be taking precautions to stay safe.” She looked up to stare at Ron, seeing nothing but his older brother. 

“Safe?” Ginny said next to her. “There is no such thing as safe in our lives.” 

“You don’t think I know that? The majority of our lives has been spent in fear. I mean look where we are Ginny. Fred is not going to end up here.” Hermione snapped, finally letting her frustration through. 

Ginny’s eyebrows rose with her friends change of demeanor. “And you think avoiding him is going to protect him?” 

She shook her head and said quietly, “No, I think not being associated with me is going to protect him.” 

This surprised Ginny. She knew they were all scared about what had happened to Ron, but she never thought that Hermione would go to such lengths to try and protect her brother. “You know that it’s not going to work, right?” She said to the brunette. 

Hermione turned to look at her before Ginny continued. “If you just end things without a reason, or with this reason for that matter, Fred will not be able to let it go. He loves you and I know you love him. You seriously think he wouldn’t fight for you?” 

The tears returned thinking about Fred. “I just need him to be safe.” 

“Not being with him won’t make him any safer. He’s a Weasley; that makes him a prime target already. Being with you just means that he has the smartest-witch-of-her-age around to protect him. You didn’t think he was with you for your looks did you?” Ginny joked. 

Hermione smiled slightly and Ginny reached over the squeeze her hand. “You are both stronger together. The only thing being apart will do is make you distracted.” 

Ginny snorted, “You should have seen him at the shop yesterday. He could barely make it through the simplest potion before blowing it up. George actually had to send him upstairs to cool off.” 

They sat in silence for a few minutes before Ginny continued speaking. “You know Harry tried to send me away.” 

Hermione looked over in surprise. From her earlier conversation with her friend he had sounded like he had accepted Ginny’s role in his life. And he had certainly had never mentioned trying to intervene in their situation. 

Seeing the shocked look on her friend’s face, Ginny nodded. “Yeah, after he found out about the baby he tried to convince me to take Mum’s offer of Auntie Muriel’s hideaway. He even started packing my bag to leave.” 

“But you didn’t want to?” Hermione asked, watching the redhead.

Ginny huffed slightly, “That’s the thing, I did want to. I would do anything to protect this baby. It’s scary how much I love it already. But the thought of not being here if something happened to Harry kills me. We need to be there to protect each other.” She looked at Hermione, “Just like you and Fred.” 

They sat together for a while more before Ginny got up to go home having done her part.

“Talk to him,” she said to Hermione as she opened the door to leave. “He deserves to know what is going on.” 

She nodded and watched the redhead leave. Ginny was right, but it didn’t make her any less worried. Thoroughly chagrined she felt somewhat childish in her avoidance of Fred and kew she had to talk to him. Before leaving she went over the look at Ron again, somehow hoping that his condition had changed since she had arrived. Seeing his still sleeping features she sighed and made her way down to the floo system to go home. 

She went to her own apartment, thinking that Fred was likely staying at his in her recent absence. She would stop by the shop and talk to him tomorrow morning. However when she went to her bedroom she jumped seeing a figure laying in her bed. With his unexpected presence she immediately felt how much she had missed him over the past weeks. Without bothering to change out of her scrubs, she slipped under the covers and pressed close to him. 

He normally wasn’t a light sleeper but he jumped at her movement next to him and opened his eyes. Seeing her he relaxed slightly but furrowed his eyebrows, thinking about the events of the past few weeks. 

“Hi.” He said softly. 

She tried to smile up at him. “Hi.” 

She took a deep breath, knowing that she need to explain herself to him. “Fred, I.. ” 

He cut her off quickly, pulling back slightly, “No.” 

She looked up at him confused. “No?” 

He shook his head and put his hand on her arm. “No. You don’t get to break up with me. Not because you’re scared something is going to happen.” 

She almost laughed at how easily he saw through her. “I just keep thinking about Cho and about you.” She said quietly.

He gripped her tighter knowing how her mind worked. He had had plenty of time to mull over why she had been avoiding him in the past weeks. He understood her reasoning but was surprised at her actions as normally it was Harry’s job to play the martyr and push everyone away. “Cho made her own decision to be with Ron. She knew about the threats to him and knew that by being around him it would place her in danger. Just like I know.” 

He continued, “Hermione, I understand how dangerous this whole situation is and I’m not afraid of what could happen to me. But I am scared of what could happen to you. I’m scared of you getting hurt and me not being there. I know that the logical solution for you would be to shut me out to keep me safe, but I get a choice in this too and I am choosing you.” 

Tears had started to fall from her eyes as she listened to him. She leaned forward to kiss him shakily and he kissed her back, pulling her as close as he could. He could still feel some hesitancy in her touch, something that hadn’t been present before. 

When she pulled away she drew in a deep breath, her eyes were still glassy as she looked at him. “I just want you safe.” 

He nodded and leaned against her forehead. “I know.” 

After a few minutes of silence in the dark of the room he spoke again, “Love, you aren’t alone in this but I can’t be there if you don’t allow me to.” 

She nodded and pressed closer to him. They both stayed like this until they drifted off again, sleeping comfortably for the first time in weeks. 

\- - 

The next day she slept though Fred getting up in the morning for work, waking to find the bed empty. She mulled around the apartment before getting ready for work. During her break later on she decided to run up to check on Ron again. She opened the door expecting to find the exact scene she had left last night but she almost dropped the coffee she was holding at what she saw. Cho was standing at Ron’s bedside holding his hand and talking to him. 

She faltered in her step seeing the girl, almost not believing it after weeks of waiting. “Cho?” She said softly, not wanting to startle her. 

Her classmate turned to look at Hermione who could see she had been crying. “Is he okay?” She was still gripping Ron’s hand tightly. 

It took several minutes before the other Weasley’s starting showing up after Hermione sent patronuses out. Mrs. Weasley rushed into the room to embrace Cho. Mr. Weasley and Percy showed up quickly afterwards from the ministry followed by Bill, Ginny, Harry, Fred and George. 

Hermione looked in question at Fred as both of the twins had arrived on a work day. “This is more important.” He said as he came to stand next to her, watching the scene unfold before him. 

Cho was being examined by the lead healer on the service. She hadn’t said much about the attack other than to relay what had happened, or at least as much as she could remember. She had met Ron that day at the Ministry after he got off work and they were going to walk back to her apartment. It was dark already and they hadn’t gotten far before four people appeared out of nowhere, wearing cloaks similar to the ones Fred and Hermione had seen. 

They ambushed the couple and took them somewhere dark and wet, Cho didn’t know where exactly. From there she couldn’t remember much, something Hermione was silently grateful for remembering the extent of the girl’s injuries. 

After she had told the story for the third time Cho began to complain of a headache and was promptly escorted back to her own room to rest. The two other healers on her case whispered to themselves as they left the room with her. The rest of the Weasley’s were left in Ron’s room, some with hopeful glances as they expected Ron to wake up at any moment just as Cho had. They sat for several minutes before Mrs. Weasley surprisingly was the one to step forward. 

“I don’t think there is a need for everyone to stand around waiting for Ron to wake up. I am going to stay here and will let everyone know if anything changes.” She sat on the edge of Ron’s bed, giving them all a pointed look. 

The group shuffled out into the hall, saying good byes as they made their way to the floo system until Hermione and Fred were the only ones left. 

He turned to her and pulled her into a quick hug. She knew that they were all feeling hopeful again with Cho’s recovery. But it still nagged at her that Ron wasn’t awake, and Fred felt the same way. They parted ways, promising to talk when she got home.


	20. Christmas

They didn’t have to wait long for Ron to follow suit in his recovery. He woke two days before Christmas, sending Mrs. Weasley into a head long spiral as she sent out patronuses out, screaming that he was awake. Everyone gathered outside of Ron’s room while the healer evaluated him. He was the same as Cho and could only remember up to the point of them being taken. Everyone was ecstatic at him being awake and while Ron was shocked and angry after hearing what had happened, he still kept a good attitude. But Hermione noticed something was off with him though, a slight scowl here and there as he seemed to be thinking about something. Cho came in from her own room and Mrs. Weasley started crying as the couple embraced tightly. 

It was several hours before everyone went home, promising to return the next day. Hermione hung back, sitting in her usual chair until everyone else had left. Ron didn’t notice her still there as he leaned his head back on the bed and closed his eyes. When he opened them again Hermione was startled to find he was crying. 

“Ron.” She said softly, alerting him to her presence. 

He jumped at her voice and quickly wiped his eyes. She quickly stood up to sit on the edge of his bed, taking his hand in hers when she sat. 

“What is it?” 

He shook his head, not wanting to meet her eyes. “It’s nothing.” 

She tried to smile at him. “Ron, you’re my best friend. We also happened to date for a while. I think I know you well enough by now to know that this is not ‘nothing’.” 

He smiled slightly but it faded quickly after. His voice was almost a whisper when he spoke again. “It was awful.” 

Confused, she narrowed her eyes at him, “What was?” 

He gestured up and down his body and his eyes came to rest on his missing foot. Her mouth dropped open in surprise. 

“But.. but you told us you didn’t remember.” Her heart was pounding thinking about the possibility. Cho hadn’t remembered anything and then when Ron said he didn’t either it was such a relief. 

He looked at her then and she saw the truth in his eyes. She gripped his hand tighter, feeling her own eyes fill with tears. “Ron.” She said softly. 

“I don’t remember the full extent of everything. Just bits and pieces.” He took a deep breath and continued, squeezing her hand like a life line. “I didn’t recognize any of the spells they used other than the cruciatus curse. I don’t think I’ve ever felt that much bloody pain in my entire life. And I just don’t understand why they didn’t kill us. I thought they wanted to kill us.” 

His voice was angry as he spoke. Anger at the people who did this to them, anger at himself for not being more aware that night, anger that someone else got hurt because of him. Hermione watched as her friend waged a war with himself. 

“It’s not your fault you know.” She told him firmly. If she had to be convinced of that when nothing had happened to her or Fred, then she could only imagine how Ron was feeling. 

His eyes snapped up at her, “I know that. I’m not blaming myself. I blame this stupid bloody world. We’ve been groomed since kids to just accept this bullshit. After I get out of here I’m leaving.” 

She raised her eyebrows at this. She hadn’t even thought about what his reaction would be after he woke up, she had just wanted him TO wake up. The thought of his leaving was horrible, but she also understood. She had considered the same thing as soon as the war was over. She had wanted to disappear and travel the world to forget about the horrors they had seen. 

He squeezed her hand again, bringing her attention back to him. “Don’t say anything about this. Especially not to Mum or Harry. You know how much he blames himself for everything that goes wrong. And I’ll tell everyone my plans when I get home. Maybe Auntie Muriel would like a house guest for a while.” He smiled slightly at the last part. 

She nodded and leaned forward to hug him. They held each other for several minutes like they had on so many other occasions. When she finally left his room she felt emotionally drained and exhausted. A part of her wanted to leave with him. How nice it would be to disappear. 

Ron was discharged home on Christmas Eve morning. He limped along with crutches on the magically fitted prosthetic foot when he entered the house. Mrs. Weasley had gone all out this year knowing that everyone would be home. There were garlands strung across every doorway and window. The tree was already decorated with tinsel and ornaments, small specks of light flickered across the greenery. She had fawned over Ron since his return and Hermione knew that she would be relieved at his decision to go into hiding. 

Fred and George had closed the shop for the next two days. After the weeks of craziness he had come home last night and crashed, sleeping for x14 hours before Hermione finally work him. 

“Why can’t we just do Christmas here?” He asked sleepily when she shook his shoulder. “Plenty of room for presents.”

She laughed as she pulled the blankets off of him for the seventh time. “Plenty of room in bed? We could just set up a little tree at the end. Might be a little awkward for Santa.” 

“Santa can join us.” He said as he pulled himself out of bed. 

When he finally came out of the bedroom after showering, she laughed at his outfit. Since the arrival of the younger generation of Weasley’s, the twins had started dressing in outlandish Christmas getups for the children’s appreciation. What started as a simple Christmas sweater got more and more elaborate every year. 

She eyed him as he spun around for her, showing off his outfit. He had on bright red trousers with curly toed shoes with bells on them. His sweater was an evergreen color and had a small train traveling the tracks across his chest and wrapping around to his back. On his head he wore a cross between and elf hat and one of a train conductor. The mustache he was still sporting with his beard was curled up at the ends. She laughed as the little train came to a whistling stop as his arm blocked its path. 

“I hope you brought a change of clothes.” She said with a laugh as he lifted his arm to let the train by. 

He grinned and she could only imagine what George was wearing. “At least one of us is festive.” He said eyeing her black jeans and dark green top. 

“I just don’t feel like being swarmed by kids all night.” She knew that as soon as they entered the door the younger kids would be enthralled by the bright, interactive outfit he was wearing. 

They gathered their luggage and bags of presents that were already wrapped and ready for the tree. When they arrived the festivities were already underway with Roxanne and Victorie tottering around the house while Mrs. Weasley plied them with cookies. Harry and Ron sat in the living room talking while Ginny raided the kitchen claiming that the baby was hungry. 

As soon as the younger kids caught site of Fred they flocked to him, giggling as the small train passed over his body. He grinned at Hermione and sat down on the living room floor as the little girls ran circles around him. She shook her head before crossing the room to join her friends. 

She could tell the discussion was serious when she approached them; both had their heads down and were speaking in hushed voices. They looked up at her as she approached. 

“I told Harry about my decision.” Ron said as she sat on the seat next to Harry. 

She raised her eyebrows at this as she thought he had planned to tell everyone after the New Year. She looked at Harry whose eyebrows were furrowed as he looked to the floor. 

“When are you leaving?” She asked, turning her attention back to Ron. 

He looked around the room. “The day after tomorrow. I’ve already spoken to Mum and Dad about it and they thinks it’s best while I get used to all this.” He gestured to the crutches. “And Auntie Muriel is in Scotland for the winter so looks like I’ll be getting the house to myself.” He smiled at that. 

They sat together in silence. She had no idea when this whole mess would be over with so that Ron could come back. They might not see him for months, or even years. She reached out to grip both Harry and Ron’s hands. 

“We’ll be alright.” She said, trying to smile, to make herself believe her statement. The other two nodded and Ron squeezed her hand. 

“What’s going on here?” Ginny asked as she joined the group. “Not planning another camping trip are we?” 

Ron groaned at the thought, “Bloody hell, no. I think I’d hand myself over to the death eaters before I endure that again.” 

As the rest of the Weasleys arrived, the Burrow was filled with laughter and music. When dinner was finished and the kids were put to bed, the rest of the family gathered in the living room. Hermione was slotted between Fred and George on the couch with Fred’s arm slung about her shoulders. He was twirling a piece of her hair around his finger absent mindedly as he spoke to his father. As the evening went on people started retiring to bed, making threats as to who was going to be the first awake to open all the presents. Hermione’s eyes were drifting closed when she felt Fred shift beside her. 

“Come on, love.” He said as he took her hands and pulled her to standing. Surprisingly Mrs. Weasley had given them a room to themselves rather than having Hermione and Ginny bunk together like usual. Maybe her daughter’s obvious pregnancy had finally got it through her mind that her children were growing up and… doing things. 

When Fred closed the door of his old bedroom on the 4th floor he immediately took off his hat and still running sweater. The train gave a last whistle as he tossed it in a heap on the floor. In his white T-shirt, red pants and beard he looked like a youthful Santa Clause. Hermione laughed at the thought and he gave her a quizzical look before she went to him and tugged on his beard. 

“Let this go white and I think you could have a new job description.” She said, her eyes twinkling. 

He laughed with her as he caught her meaning. Wrapping his arms around her waist he leaned down to nuzzle at her neck. “And what about you? Baking cookies and looking after the elves sound appealing?” 

She sighed as his lips moved over her ear and jaw and his hand slid under her shirt. “I’m sure elves suffer lots of injuries making toys. My clinic would never be empty. But I’m not much of a baker though.” 

He chuckled against her neck and started moving her backwards. She felt her knees hit the edge of the bed and the both tipped back, bouncing on the springy mattress slightly as they laughed. She propped herself up on her elbows and watched as Fred unbuttoned her jeans before sliding them down her legs with a grin. 

She sat up suddenly and drew her legs under her, coming face to face with the redhead. Kissing him soundly she pulled his shirt over his head before letting her fingers trail down his taught abdomen to his belt buckle. She slid the leather out of the loops and tossed it to the floor. Fred had a sly grin plastered on his face as Hermione’s hands released the button and zipper of his pants. Catching him grinning at her she shook her head before slipped off the bed to stand before him. 

She gave a gentle shove on his shoulders and he willingly leaned back on the bed, allowing her to pull his pants and boxers off in a smooth motion. Pulling her own shirt off, she now stood in front of him in her bra and knickers and his mouth watered at the site of her. She took a step towards him before leaning down and taking his very eager member into her mouth. He gasped at the contact and let his head fall back. His mind raced as her mouth worked over him, this was the fantasy he had had almost every night as a teenager. In his childhood bedroom with a beautiful girl. He laughed at the thought and Hermione lifted her head up to look at him in question. 

“If you can’t keep quiet than we’ll just have to go to sleep.” She said threateningly. 

He raised his hands in surrender and groaned as she went back to what she had been doing. After a few more minutes she left him to pull off the rest of her clothing. He sat up, close to the edge of the bed to watch her unclasp he bra before she stepped forward and straddled him. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders as she took him and then began to slowly rock her hips. Their breath mingled together as Fred’s hands went to her backside, guiding her movement. They were both aware of the silence surrounding them and made no other noise. 

Hermione let her head fall back and braced her hands on his shoulder as the coil in the pit of her stomach released. She gasped and felt her breath catch in her throat as she continued to rock against him. He had bent forward to kiss her collarbone as she came undone, his hands still gripping her hips. As she relaxed he held her tighter before lifting her and pressing her back on the bed. He moved hard and quick against her body as he continued towards his own release. 

She felt the moment he let go, his body pressed into hers. She ran her hand down his back and felt the muscles clenched there. He slowly relaxed under her touch and rolled to the side, pulling her with him so she lay in his embrace. 

“Merry Christmas.” He said against her hair. 

She laughed and tilted her head up to look at him. “Was that my present?” 

He smiled and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Must have been good this year.” 

They lay there for a few more minutes before getting out of bed to pull pajamas on, thinking if the threats of an early morning wake up were real they didn’t want to be caught naked. 

\--

Oddly no one else seemed to be awake when she and Fred woke the next morning and crept downstairs. Normally Christmas morning was the one time you could count on the Weasley crew to rise before noon. Even Mrs. Weasley seemed to have slept in with the silence coming from the kitchen. Hermione had woken first, slipping out of bed to pull on leggings and a sweatshirt. Her hair was still mussed from the night before so she pulled it into a loose braid down her back. Fred was still sleeping on the bed as she bent down to kiss him quickly. He stirred under her lips and tried to grab at her as he came awake. She pulled away before he could reach her and told him to get up if he wanted presents. 

He sighed and swung his legs out into the chilly air. After pulling on a pair of sweatpants and a T-shirt he quietly followed Hermione down the stairs, hearing snores from behind many of the doors they passed. The lights of the tree were still glowing as they made it to the first floor, casting shadows about the otherwise dark room. Hermione smiled softly, this was her favorite time of the year but always brought back memories of her parents. 

Fred saw her slight smile as she watched the tree. He knew what Christmas meant to her and pulled her into a hug. She sighed and wrapped her arms about his waist, still looking at the tree. 

“Merry Christmas, love.” He said into her hair. 

“Merry Christmas, Fred.” She burrowed closer to him before pulling back. They went into the kitchen in search of coffee for Hermione and hot chocolate for Fred. After settling on the couch with drinks in hand, Hermione pulled her knees up to her chest and she leaned back. They sat watching the flickering lights until the serene silence was interrupted by the banging of a door being slammed open and a loud yell from Charlie. “Ginny!” 

There were loud footsteps across the floor above them before Ginny ran down the stairs laughing. She was followed closely by Charlie who ran down the stairs with a sheet wrapped around what Hermione could only deduce was his naked form. He faltered at the bottom of the stairs when he saw the two on the couch, both watching him with shocked expression. 

“Lose something Charlie?” Fred asked, starting to smile. Hermione snorted beside him, putting her coffee on the side table so she didn’t spill. 

Charlie scowled and pointed a finger at both of them. “If you two had anything to do with this, I’ll return your presents immediately.” 

Fred raised his hands in defense then laughed as his older brother chased once again after their sister.

It turns out that she had snuck into his room at some point and transfigured all of his clothes into children sizes, claiming she was just practicing for when the baby comes. She refused to change them back until Charlie gave her her present. So stubborn as ever, Charlie was currently sitting at the breakfast table in pants ending at his knees and a shirt that barely reached his belly button. He nonchalantly bit into another piece of bacon, ignoring the glares Ginny was sending his way. 

When breakfast was cleared and the whole family awake and gathered in the living room, George started passing out presents to their respective recipients. Everyone smiled as they recognized Mrs. Weasley’s craftsmanship. Hermione’s sweater this year was deep navy blue without the usual detail work on the front. 

Mrs. Weasley smiled at her as she held the sweater up. “I thought to make it simpler for you dear. That way you could wear it to work if you wanted.” 

Hermione grinned and went over to hug the other woman, appreciating her thoughtfulness. They had long since mended their relationship since the fight earlier this year. 

When Fred was handed Hermione’s gift he grinned at her and tore open the slim package. She and Alicia had gone in together for the twin’s gifts this year and George had opened his with a shout just before Fred even got the wrapping paper off. 

His mouth fell open as he pulled out the pamphlet nestled inside, identical to the one George was now waving about his head. 

“They’re a good team, right?” Hermione asked apprehensively, watching his reaction. She had to seek the expert advice of the only professional Quidditch player she knew when picking out her gift. 

Fred nodded and grinned like a child. “Only the best professional Quidditch team in history. They won the European League twice! The magpies are legendary and I’m going to see every single match!” He hooted as he pulled Hermione into a hug. 

She laughed and shook her head, while she enjoyed Quidditch it had never brought about the same obsession for her as it did for the Weasleys. 

“Alright, open mine.” He said and handed her a small but heavy box. She shook it slightly, not feeling anything rustle or move inside. 

“Did you get me a brick?” She asked while she carefully peeled back the wrapping paper. 

The box underneath was white and sealed. When she pulled the lid off and saw what was inside she looked up at him confused at the white, soft sand that filled the container. She ran her fingers through it and felt an object nestled underneath the sand. Fred was still watching her smiling as she pulled out a white envelope and shook it off. She opened it easily and removed the papers inside, scanning them quickly then looking up at Fred with a slight smile. 

“What is all this?” 

“Well since we never did get to finish our vacation properly, I figured we deserve a bit of a do over.” He said watching her eyes widen. 

The papers held his attempts at hand drawn pictures of their little blue house in Greece as well as his interpretation of an airplane, having never actually seen one. He had been quite proud of his ministrations after enlisting the help of his favorite nieces for the pictures. 

“We’re going back?” She asked excitedly, still running her fingers through the sand which could only be from their beach. 

“Whenever you’d like.” He grinned back at her, enjoying the child-like excitement she was displaying. She laughed and put the box on the floor before throwing her arms around him and kissing him soundly. 

“I definitely must have been good this year.” She teased as she pulled back, causing him to laugh.


	21. New Additions

Ron left shortly as promised, the day after Christmas. It was one of the hardest things she had ever had to do, saying goodbye to her best friend, not knowing when they would ever see each other again. He had written her a letter before she left, detailing Fred’s typical pranks so she would know what to watch out for. His way of giving his “blessing” for the relationship. When she finally read it a few days later, it made her both laugh and cry, causing Fred to look at her like she was a mad woman. She missed him already. It wasn’t like before when he was on a mission or her work schedule kept them from seeing each other, this time she truly didn't know where he was or when he'd be back. The family had decided to keep the safe house’s location a secret until the threat against them was done. The Ministry still hadn't been able to find who had attacked them that night, no new leads presented themselves. 

Cho had gone with Ron for the time being. After things settled down she had plans to visit her parents back in Bulgaria for a while. It was odd to see such a new relationship strengthened but such terrors they had experienced together. When they left Hermione heard Fred and George betting on when their little brother would be popping the question. She quickly joined in and placed stakes on before the end of this summer. 

It had been five months since they left and everything and yet nothing had really changed. The other’s moved on with their lives as they had been before the attack. The only exception was Ginny’s now very large and very uncomfortable pregnancy. She was weeks away from her due date and had no problem complaining about it to whomever she could find. 

It was a similar situation today when Ginny waddled her way through the shelves in the shop. Fred was standing at the front counter in his outlandish magenta work suit, leaning back on the wood as Hermione sat perched on a stool in front of him, animatedly telling a story about a recent patient. He gave silent appreciation for the new summer heat rolling in, as he looked at his girlfriend’s slim legs, exposed from her jean shorts. He hadn’t even noticed that she had stopped talking and was now looking at him. 

“Fredrick. Will you please pay attention.” She said bemused, noticing his gaze and his mind had wandered to her bare legs. 

His eyes snapped up to her face and he grinned widely. “What do you expect wearing those things around? I mean really Hermione, this is my workplace, have some decorum.” 

She reached out to hit his chest when Ginny came up beside them and plopped herself down in a chair. “You two are disgusting.” She huffed out once she had rested her feet up on the rungs of Hermione’s stool. 

“Nice to see you too Gin.” Fred’s eyes twinkled at his heavily pregnant sister. “I see the glow of pregnancy has finally worn off?” 

She narrowed her eyes at him. “The only glow you are seeing is sweat. I am hot all of the time and my bloody feet are the size of rhinoceroses. I hurt all over. I’m done. Hermione, you need to get this thing out of me.”

Hermione smiled sympathetically down at her friend, she had seen many expectant mothers reach this point. “You’re almost there Ginny. In less than a month that baby will be here and your feet will return to their normal size.” 

Ginny cradled her large stomach, not even able to see her feet currently. “Promise?” 

Hermione laughed and nodded. Fred shook his head and chuckled at his sister’s plight. This action did not go unnoticed by her as she narrowed her eyes and pointed her finger menacingly at him. 

“Don’t you dare laugh Fred Weasley. If the way you two were talking when I got here is any indication, then Hermione will be in my position before you know it. See how you laugh then.” She let her head fall back after finishing, already exhausted from the trip. 

Hermione’s eyebrows rose in surprise at her friend’s words. She and Fred had yet to discuss if they wanted children or not. Hell, they still lived in two separate apartments. They were both so comfortable in their current situation that she at least, had no desire to change it. She glanced at Fred who had a slight smile on his face. 

“Ginny maybe you should be home resting. You’re obviously exhausted and you need to relax these last few weeks. I’m surprised Harry even let you out of the house.” 

“What am I, a dog?” Ginny asked from her spot. But Hermione was right, Harry had become a pain in the arse the past few months. It seems that the more her pregnancy showed, the more protective and paranoid her husband became. She had been cooped up in the bloody house for days now, every time she tried to leave Harry would come up with a “fun activity” they could do together. She knew he was just looking out for her, but she was going to have to kill him. 

“Look, why don’t you head upstairs and crash in the flat for now. Then when you wake up we could go out?” Fred offered seeing how his sister was about to fall asleep in her spot. 

Ginny sighed and nodded, heaving herself up with the assistance of the other two. They watched as she made her way to the back and the presumably up the stairs to a bed. 

“Is that normal?” Fred asked Hermione as they watched her leave. 

Hermione chuckled. “Completely. Honestly I’d be surprised if she lasted a few more weeks. Baby Potter may be making an appearance sooner than we expected.” 

Fred smiled thinking about his new niece or nephew. Since Ginny’s statement earlier though, he couldn’t get another baby out of his head. It was odd to picture him as a parent. He and Hermione had never discussed it for some reason, which in retrospect wasn’t that odd since they had only been together for less than a year. He made a mental note to start the conversation with her later, because he knew exactly what he wanted. A customer at the counter cleared their throat interrupting his thoughts and he turned to help them out. 

Hermione slipped off the stool onto her feet before heading out the front door to run some errands. Fred watched her leave over the customer’s head and felt a quick sting of concern, like he did every time she was in the alley alone. Obviously it had proven to not be the safest spot for them but Hermione insisted that she wasn’t going to stop living her life. 

She made her way to Flourish and Blotts, remembering there was a new healing textbook she had wanted to pick up. After that stop she bought new work shoes from Madam Maxines and then stopped into Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour. She balanced the three cups of ice cream in her hand as she made her way back to WWW, the cobblestones almost tripping her two times. Back in the store there were less people as closing time approached. Fred was tidying up a display in the front window when he saw her approach. He smiled at her from inside and then went to open the door from her, seeing how her hands were full. Hermione smiled appreciatively and handed him one of the cups, his favorite flavor of vanilla with small bits of Burt’s Every Flavor Jelly Beans in it. She wrinkled her nose as he placed a big spoonful into his mouth, the combination could either ruin the treat or make it delicious. Judging from the look of pleasure on Fred’s face as he lifted another spoonful, it would be the latter. 

Fred flipped the closed sign on the door and came back to the counter where she was currently enjoying her own ice cream. The other cup was under a continuous cooling spell, waiting for Ginny to come down. 

“I’m surprised Harry hasn’t come looking for her yet.” Hermione said as Fred approached her. 

“Oh he did. Got an owl about three hours ago.” Fred grinned remembering the almost howler-like letter. 

Hermione shook her head. “I get he’s worried but he needs to loosen up.” 

Fred tilted his head at her, thinking how he would feel being in Harry’s position. “Well there are people out to kill his wife and baby so maybe not so unwarranted. Speaking of babies..” he started, guess now was as good a time as ever. 

Hermione raised her eyebrows in question but before Fred could continue a voice to their left interrupted them. 

“Hermione..” Ginny said as she pushed back the curtain from the back room. Her voice was quiet and Hermione noticed how pale the witch was. She stepped towards the pregnant witch in concern. 

“Something’s wrong.” Ginny’s voice cracked then she looked down at her legs. Hermione followed her gaze and saw a wet patch on her thighs. She breathed a sigh of relief and laughed a little. 

Smiling at the other witch she ran her hands up and down the girl’s arms. “Ginny nothing is wrong. Your waters have only broken.” 

Ginny’s eyes widened at the words. “But it’s too soon. I’ve still got three weeks left.” She was beginning to panic as the realization of what was happening dawned on her. 

“Well it seems like your baby has other ideas.” Hermione said happily before turning to Fred. 

“Mind owling Harry and let him know that his wife is heading to the hospital.” Fred was almost as pale as his sister but quickly nodded and apparated to the flat. Hermione turned her attention back to Ginny who still seemed to be in shock. A sharp pain in her back pulled her out of that very quickly and she gripped Hermione’s hand. 

“How about we get you out of here.” Hermione asked as the other witch vigorously nodded her head. 

\- - 

A few hours later Hermione emerged from the maternity room where Ginny was currently laboring. She looked around and saw the small group of Weasleys waiting. Mrs. Weasley looked up expectantly when Hermione approached them, a large grin on her face. 

“Nothing yet.” Hermione said with a smile, knowing that it would be several hours before the big arrival. Ginny had requested that she be the acting healer in the room with her and Harry so she was currently wearing her dark blue scrubs. “She’s doing great though.” 

Mrs. Weasley nodded quickly, excited about the new arrival but still worried for her daughter. Fred was waiting with them along with Mr. Weasley, Charlie and George and Alicia. Judging from Ginny’s progression already, it was still going to be quite a few hours until the baby decided to make their grand entrance.

Fred stepped forward to hug Hermione while the others spoke about baby names and other day to day happenings. 

“How’re you doing?” He asked feeling Hermione burrow into his chest. 

“Better than your sister. But tired. This wasn’t exactly how I had planned to spend my night.” She smiled slightly against him. 

Fred smiled, “Nor mine. There were other things that had come to mind.” She looked up at him with a smirk, knowing just what ‘other things’ he was talking about. 

A sharp scream from the other room caught everyone’s attention and Hermione pulled back from Fred before pushing back through the door. Ginny was silently gritting her teeth through another contraction while she apparently crushed Harry’s fingers. Her friend was biting his lip through his own pain, having learned a few hours ago that he did not have the right to complain. As the contraction released and Ginny let go of Harry’s fingers, Hermione discreetly handed the ice pack back to him. 

At exactly four o’clock in the morning the strong cry of a baby filled the delivery room. Hermione laughed as the little boy Ginny had just delivered took his first breath. She looked up at her friends, Ginny’s hair was stuck to her forehead with sweat and Harry was pale, but they were both watching her expectantly. 

“It’s a boy.” She said, smiling as she carefully placed the red, wrinkled baby on his mother’s chest. Ginny laughed as she looked down at her son and Harry kissed her wet hair, both in awe of their creation. Hermione’s eyes filled watching the scene unfold before her before turning back to her friend to finish her medical care. 

The three looked up in surprise as Mrs. Weasley burst through the door a few minutes later, “I heard a baby!” She exclaimed excitedly, stepping forward to look at her new grandson and congratulate the new parents. 

After making sure that her patients were in good order, Hermione left the room to tell the rest of the clan outside. She found them all sleeping on the waiting room chairs outside, apparently none of them had as good of hearing as Mrs. Weasley. She woke Mr. Weasley first to give him the good news. He was just as excited as his wife as he stood up quickly to visit his daughter and new grandbaby. After he left, Hermione stood in front of the others with her hands on her hips. 

“Oi!” She said, loudly enough to startle them all out of sleep. “This’ll be a great story to tell your nephew that you slept through his arrival.” 

They looked sleepily up at her, slowly coming back to their sense and why they were sleeping on uncomfortable surfaces. 

“Nephew?” Charlie said once he registered what she had said. “It’s a boy then?” 

She nodded then watched with amusement as George groaned and handed a galleon to both of his brothers. They had forbidden Hermione from betting as they accused her of cheating with her medical knowledge and access to ultrasounds. Looks like George had lost, not surprising as he had guessed wrong with every new Weasley birth, including his own daughter’s. 

Hermione sat down with a sigh next to Fred who immediately took her hand as she rested her head against his shoulder. They waited a few more minutes before Harry came out of the door holding a bundle of blankets in his arms. He was smiling down at the package as he approached the group. 

“James Sirius, I’d like you to meet your aunt and uncles.” He said as the group gathered around him. “And your godmother, though you’ve already met her.” He added, grinning up at Hermione. 

Alicia cooed over the baby while the others made cracks about the mass of black hair adorning his head. In truth, if Hermione hadn’t had a front row seat to who this baby had come out of, she wouldn’t have known there was any relation to the Weasleys. They stood around the baby for a few more minutes before Harry returned it to its mother. Seeing that the fun part was over the rest of the group disbanded, saying sleepy goodnights on their way out. Hermione checked on Ginny once more before leaving instructions with the nursing staff. She made her way back to Fred who had sat down again and closed his eyes. 

“My bed is much more comfortable, if you’re interested?” She asked once she reached him. Her eyes ached with fatigue as she thought about the welcoming mattress. 

He nodded tiredly and stood up to take her hand, not even bothering to use the floo network, instead apparating right into her bedroom. She laughed as he collapsed onto the bed and helped him pull of his jeans. 

“You’re impossible.” She said as she tried to get the material over his foot. He graciously lifted the appendage off of the bed and she stumbled backwards as the pant leg came free. She could see his smile against the pillow as she glared at him. 

She changed herself and slid under the covers beside him, his arm coming to wrap around her waist and pull her close. She was just about to fall asleep when he spoke. 

“Hermione?” 

“Hm?” 

“Do you want kids?” 

She opened her eyes at his question and turned towards him, finding that he was watching her. She searched his face for a few seconds before answering. 

“I do. Not right now obviously, but in the future. Hopefully when people aren’t trying to kill us anymore, if that ever happens.” She watched his face, “Do you want kids?” 

He grinned at her and she already knew his answer. He was the best around kids, whether it was in the shop or at home with his nieces. Children flocked to him with his cheerful, prankster demeanor, and it didn’t hurt that he always had some sort of sweets or firecrackers in his pockets. “Yeah I do. Someone needs to carry on my legacy after I’m gone.” 

She laughed thinking of the lessons in mischief his child would be getting. She already felt sorry for the Hogwarts professors. Fred pulled her to him again and kissed the side of her head before they both found sleep, despite the rising sun outside.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading :) 
> 
> I recently did an interview about this story with a blogger who writes about fanfiction if anyone is interested!
> 
> https://mgrace.world/category/weekly-writer/


	22. Black Robe

She stepped from the floo and collapsed on the couch with a groan, tilting her head back and closing her eyes. Fred, who was sitting on the other end of the cough with a book, watched her with amusement as she toed off her sandals and propped her bare feet up on the coffee table. 

“I eat off of that.” He said, grinning as she jumped at his voice. 

She had not even see him when she got back to the flat, her only thought was to sit down and get off her feet. She had spent the entire day at Ginny and Harry’s, helping care for four month old James who was apparently driving his parents to exhaustion. Ginny had showed up at the apartment this morning, holding the screaming baby while she herself cried in despair. 

Hermione had taken pity on the new mother and volunteered to babysit for the day while Ginny got some sleep. After the first hour of screaming, she regretted her decision. As a healer she had taken the approach that something must be wrong and had done a full physical on the child. When she was unable to find anything, she resigned herself to the fact that her godson was just very vocal. 

She had almost been ready to put a silencing charm on him though when Harry finally got back from the Ministry. He looked just as tired as his wife did when he came back to the house. Hermione had stayed for another hour while Harry fixed dinner. When Ginny woke up from her slumber, she felt much better and went to collect her son. Knowing that she had to work in the morning, Hermione declined food and floo’d back to her own, blissfully quiet apartment. 

She turned her head on the back of the couch to look at Fred and simply said, “Babies are hard.” 

He chuckled at her statement. As one of the middle children in his family he barely remembered when Ron was a baby but had an acute recollection of Ginny, who had not been the quietest child. “Well, yes. But how does a baby make your feet hurt?” 

“The walking. That kid will not be quiet. I must have walked ten miles just trying to get him to settle.” She thought about the hallways and stairs at Grimwauld’s Place that she now had memorized.

“I love him. But if I ever have to be stuck with him permanently, Ginny and Harry better make sure he is older before dying.” 

He looked shocked at her statement before bursting out laughing. “Well that’s a bit morbid, even for you.” 

She glared at him. “You weren’t there. My ears are still ringing.” 

“So I take it mini-Potter did not calm down much since this morning.” He asked, remembering the screams that had woken him up at an ungodly hour. 

She groaned and pulled her hair out of the bun she had quickly thrown it in the second time James had yanked on it. “I don’t know how they do it every day. I’m exhausted. I don’t even feel this tired after my eighteen hour shifts at work. Merlin, and my head.” She rubbed at her forehead. 

He leaned over and pressed a kiss to her temple. “Better.” 

She looked at him. “What do you think?” 

He tilted her chin up and kissed her lips this time. She melted under him and moved her hands form her own head to his neck. Pulling back she looked up at him with slightly darkened eyes.

“You know what would really make everything better?” She asked softly. 

He grinned and leaned down to kiss her again. Just before he reached her mouth, she whispered against his lips, “Ice cream.” 

He pulled back and shook his head at her. She was grinning widely at him and made gestures with her hands, ushering him into the kitchen. He dropped a kiss to her forehead as he passed before returning with a small tub of mint ice cream and two spoons. She pulled her legs under her as he sat back down and handed her a spoon. She groaned in pleasure when she took her first bite of the cold treat and opened her eyes to see Fred glaring at her. 

“You’re horrible.” He said, his desire only growing with every small sound she made. 

“You can’t call me that. I just spent the entire day slaving over your nephew. I am the only reason that kid is alive.” She pointed her spoon at him. 

He smirked. “Are you implying that you’re responsible for his care today or for his entire conception?” 

She took another bite and grinned. “Both. That kid wouldn’t even have a father without me, boy-who-lived my ass.” 

He grinned at her and took the ice cream back, taking his own bite. The settled back on the couch and ate half of the bin before Hermione put her spoon down and tilted her head back, feeling sick after not having eaten anything but the ice cream this evening. 

“Feeling better?” Fred asked as he scooped out another bite. 

She shook her head against the back of the couch, “Not anymore.” 

Sighing she got up to wash her spoon quick and set it out to dry. She announced that she was going to bed and kissed the top of Fred’s head on her way to the bathroom. Fred joined her a few minutes later and plucked his toothbrush out of the holder that she had just pulled hers out of. He made faces at her as they both brushed their teeth and she kicked at his shin gently, trying not to spit out the foam in her mouth. 

The air in the apartment was warm from the August heat outside. Hermione pulled on a T-shirt and pulled back the covers of the bed before laying down, not bothering to pull them back up. Fred stripped to his boxers and collapsed next to her. He reached for her but she swatted his hand away, “Too hot.” 

He found her hand and held that instead. It took a while for them to fall asleep, both tossing and turning in the sticky warmth. 

\- - 

She woke sometime in the middle of the night, her sleep interrupted by the discomfort of the heat. She slipped out of bed, trying not to wake Fred in her search of cool water. In the bathroom, she decided to go all of the way and turned on the cool water of a shower. After washing the stickiness off of her skin she got out and wrapped a towel around her body. Her hair was still dripping when she made her way into the living room. She meant to sit down on the couch and watch TV but as she passed the window something caught her eye. 

She moved closer to the window and looked down to a dark figure was standing on the street below the apartment, looking upwards. The lamplight cast a shadow over the face so it was hard to tell where exactly they were looking. The long black robe they were wearing made her heart beat faster as her apartment was in muggle London, and this was definitely not typical garb for the neighborhood. The realization had her ducking away from the window and press herself against the wall next to it. She wasn’t sure how much of the interior of her apartment was visible from the street below as none of the lights were on, but there was a fair amount of lamplight that came in. 

When she peaked through the curtains hanging at the side of the window, the figure was still there, unmoving in the darkness. The pounding of her heart and the anxiety reminded her of standing on the other side of the shields in the woods, while snatchers walked feet from her. She watched for a few more minutes but when they didn’t move, she went back to the bedroom and shook Fred’s shoulder. 

“Fred. Wake up.” He stirred under her hand and came awake, turning to look at her. 

“What is it?” He asked, seeing the serious look on her face. He swung his legs off the bed as he sat up.

She had already started back towards the living room, “There’s someone outside.” 

He followed her out to the living room and almost ran into her when she stopped abruptly. She was staring out the window, from her vantage point seeing the empty street below. 

“I swear they were just here.” She stepped forward to stand directly in front of the glass, trying to see as far up and the street as she could. “They were wearing a black robe. I couldn’t tell exactly where they were looking but no one wears robes around here.” 

Fred had come to stand behind her, looking down at the street below but not seeing anyone. He believed her of course, the concern in her voice when she woke him was convincing enough. He put a hand on her back, still damp from her earlier shower. “Maybe we should head to the shop for the night.” 

She stood in silence for a few seconds staring at the empty street, before turning to him and nodding. They went back to the bedroom where she pulled shorts and a tank top on while Fred grabbed a T-shirt of his from her dresser. Once dressed they apparated to the darkness of Fred’s flat. He felt oddly on edge in the empty space and when Hermione went to bed he made the excuse of getting some water but instead around opening the doors of every room to make sure they were alone.

Hermione was still awake when he finally joined her. “You okay?” He asked as he laid down on the bed. 

She nodded and put her arm on his waist. “It was just weird. They didn’t move or shift or anything. They were just standing there looking up at the building.” She frowned at the memory. “I don’t even know if they were looking at us.” 

“Any of your neighbors magical?” 

She shook her head. “Not that I know of. I just keep wondering how long he was there for, just standing there not moving.” 

He could hear the underling fear in her voice and pulled her towards him. Even though he hadn’t seen what she had, he still felt somewhat rattled at her description. After what had happened with Ron, they were both extra careful in their daily ministrations, but there was only so much they could do. 

They fell asleep eventually but for the rest of the night, Fred startled away with very small noise, always turning and looking about the room for the cloaked figure. 

\- - 

They spent the next few nights at Fred’s flat, too unnerved to go back to Hermione’s. Fred had owled Bill the next morning to ask about any additional wards they could be putting on their two places. The incident was gradually forgotten about as their lives continued as normal. Even the nights they spent back at Hermione’s apartment were uneventful and soon they weren’t checking the street every time they went to bed. 

It was towards the end of September and Ginny and Harry were at the Fred’s apartment for dinner, baby James being passed between his uncle and godmother. 

“Things getting better at home?” Hermione asked, noticing less dark circles under her friend’s eyes. 

Both Ginny and Harry nodded, “Loads, yeah. He’s still not sleeping through the night but is definitely quieter during the day.” Their lives had finally started to feel back to normal, or at least as normal as one’s life could be with a young baby. Ginny had started training again and was able to bring James along with her as some of the other players also had young children. She relished getting back to work and had even started freelancing some quidditch articles for the prophet when she was home. 

“I just can’t believe how big he has gotten.” Hermione smiling at the chunky, smiling baby she was bouncing on her knee as she sat on a stool. He was drooling as he grunted with each bump of her leg. 

“Takes after his mother I guess.” Fred said from the stove, turning around after a dishtowel struck the back of his head. Ginny glared at him from her spot on the other side of the counter.

“At least your aim has improved.” He said smirking at his sister. 

Ginny started towards him but Hermione stood up and intercepted her, handing the soft baby to Fred. “Here you go James, let’s not let mummy kill Uncle Freddie today.” 

Fred grinned at Ginny over her son’s head, fully aware he was using his nephew as a shield. Hermione took over at the stove and stirred the chili he had been making. Ginny retreated out to the living room to browse through the overflowing bookshelf. The other three continued talking in the kitchen, Harry still sitting at the counter munching on the pretzels he had found earlier. 

After a few minutes Ginny interrupted their discussion, “Hermione, there’s someone looking up here.” 

They all turned towards the redhead who was standing at the window, looking down at the street. Hermione and Fred glanced at each other before making their own way over to check. Sure enough, the figure was back, still wearing the dark robe as they had been a month ago. It was already dark outside so there still was not enough light to illuminate their face. Harry had joined them and furrowed his forehead at the sight. 

“Do you know them?” He asked apprehensively, glancing at his friend. 

Hermione shook her head. “No.” She proceeded to explain about the incident last month, Harry looking more troubled the more she spoke. They had moved away from the window at this point as the lights were on inside. Fred had pulled the thick curtains to block out any sort of inside view. 

“Well I think the fact that they’ve shown up at both your places rules out any sort of coincidence.” Harry said. “Have you told the Ministry about this?” 

Hermione shook her head, “No, with just the one time we weren’t completely sure if it was anything concerning. But now..” She turned to look at Fred. 

“Do you both feel okay staying here, or at your place Hermione?” Ginny asked, “You’re always welcome to stay with us.” 

“I asked Bill about extra wards but he said both our places have everything done to them already. So I don’t think the person could ever actually get in here. Pretty unnerving having them stand outside though, not to mention bloody cocky.” Fred said, glancing at the curtain covered window. “But I think we’ll be okay for now.” 

Hermione nodded in agreement, knowing they were both going to feel somewhat unnerved from now on. 

“I’ll tell the other aurors and Kingsley about it when I go to the Ministry tomorrow.” Harry told them. 

They finished the rest of the evening, trying to forget about the experience from before. When Harry and Ginny left they extended their offer of a place to stay again and told the other two to be careful. 

When they had left Fred sat down on the couch and ran his hand through his hair. “Do you think we should have gone with them? At least until this all gets resolved.” 

Hermione drew her eyebrows together before walking over to him. She sat down on his legs and wrapped her arms around his neck, his own coming around her waist. “I don’t know. It seems like just a scare tactic but it’s still getting to me.” 

He nodded, feeling the exact same way. She watched his face, “Still time to back out, Freddie.” 

He rolled his eyes at her and smiled. “I think it was too late for that when I was seventeen.” He leaned forward to kiss her. “However I might rethink it if you get me killed.” He said against her lips. 

It was her turn to roll her eyes now. They sat in silence holding each other, trying not to think about the person still standing in the Alley outside.


	23. The Past

They had reached the decision to stay at Fred’s apartment full time after their second encounter. He had more wards in place and being in Diagon Alley there was the added protection of Ministry patrols. Hermione had transferred most of her clothing over to the apartment, as well as an unhealthy amount of books to Fred’s amusement. Neither of them had seen the figure outside in the few weeks since the encounter with Ginny and Harry but the events had still made them on edge, knowing that they had been watched. They had actually had a serious discussion about whether it would be best for Hermione to join Ron in hiding. The thought was vetoed after a few hours though. 

After so long of being hyperaware, Hermione just felt tired. She was at work one night when she realized just how much energy she had been putting into worrying. Everything else was taking second place in her life, her patients, Fred, the family. A year ago she had her entire life prioritized and she genuinely felt happy and safe. Now she felt paranoid about everything, scared of the unknown. 

It was that night at work that she decided to stop being scared. If the plan against them was mainly scare tactics then it had worked brilliantly, but she wouldn’t let it ruin her life any more. She pushed the fear she had felt to the back of her mind and smiled as she entered another patient room. 

She changed in the locker room when she got off the next afternoon, switching her blue scrubs to jeans, a deep maroon sweater and grey jacket to ward off the chilly November air. She made her way out to the fireplace and went directly home, the noise from the shop drifted up the stairs as she stumbled out of the sooty fireplace of the flat. She looked around the place and laughed at the difference in the décor since she had been with Fred. The outlandish deep purple wall color was now a light grey, though they had allowed the teal blue furniture to stay, appeasing Fred. The wood floors had now been exposed, having been previously covered by a bright orange throw rug. Not much had changed in the kitchen except the addition of a coffee maker, which laughably was the only thing George had noticed the first time he came over after the changed had been made. 

The noise from the shop got louder as she made her way down the stairs and without even seeing the front she knew that it was a busy day. She waved to George in the backroom as she passed, not wanting to stop and interrupt his hurried pace. As she had suspected, the shop floor was buzzing with shoppers. It was the first week of what the twin’s liked to call their “Christmas Extravaganza” where it seemed everyone in the wizarding community suddenly realized that they had shopping to do. Verity was at the counter as she passed so she wove her way around customers in search of Fred. 

When she finally saw him, she paused in her step. He was standing near the front of the shop, in a more secluded corner talking to someone she recognized quite well, Angelina Johnson. The way they were talking and had their heads bent close to each other caused a brief flash of jealousy that surprised Hermione. She remembered in school when they had been a couple, and she also remembered how upset Fred had been about their breakup the year after they opened the shop. She had always known that Fred had cared deeply for Angelina, and at one point during school she, Harry and Ron had even bet that he would end up marrying her. Their break up was a shock to everyone and Hermione remembered feeling terrible for the redhead, especially after finding him visibly upset in the shed a few days before Fleur and Bill’s wedding. 

Watching the interaction between the two in front of her brought back all of those memories from school and made her feel uneasy. It was an odd feeling, jealousy, and not one that she had experienced many times in the past. She trusted Fred completely but the feelings he had had for the other girl had been very real. 

Fred looked up from his conversation with Angelina and saw Hermione. She smiled brightly and continued on her way to greet him, pushing down her earlier feelings. As she approached them Fred smiled back at her while Angelina seemed quite indifferent to her appearance. 

“Hermione, you remember Angelina?” Fred asked as she came to stand beside them. 

She turned her smile to the other girl and nodded. “Of course, though it’s definitely been a few years. How are you?” 

Angelina finally smiled back at Hermione but it didn’t quite seem genuine, “I’m really good, thanks. Been in Paris following the Quidditch teams there since school. My mum is getting married so figured I’d stop in and say hi since I’m back in town for the wedding.” She glanced at Fred and Hermione couldn’t help wonder what they had been talking about before she arrived. 

“Congratulations to your mum, that’s really exciting.” Hermione added, trying to read the other girl’s expression. 

Angelina nodded. “Yeah, it’s great. Speaking of which, I should be going. Lots of preparation to get done.” She smiled a little too brightly at Fred and Hermione. “It was really great seeing you, if you’re ever in Paris look me up” 

She left rather quickly and Fred watched her go with a confused expression. Hermione knew something was off about the interaction and had not been oblivious to the cold shoulder she had been getting from the other girl. 

Fred turned to her and smiled, “Hi.” 

She stepped forward and hugged him, “Hi.” 

Sighing she pulled back and surveyed the craziness around them. “Has it been this busy all day?” She wanted to ask about Angelina but thought that was best suited for a quieter conversation. 

“Yeah, its crazy! The new products I told you about launched and it looks like the advertisement Alicia put together really paid off. There were people waiting outside when we opened this morning.” Fred looked proudly around the bustling business. He was still amazed at the success of this venture from what started as illegal brewing of potions under their beds at Hogwarts. He made a mental note to thank Harry for the thousandth time for the startup money. 

“So I made a decision.” Hermione said, pulling Fred from his thoughts.

He turned back to her, “Yeah?” 

She nodded, “I’m not going to be scared anymore. And I don’t think you should be either.”

He furrowed his brows at her. “Well that’s easier said than done, love. It’s not like we’re scared for nothing. There are actually people out to kill you and a masked crazy person outside our homes.” 

“No, I know. But until something happens I don’t want to waste my life being scared to step foot outside of my own apartment. I’m not saying be any less careful. Just that I refuse to let death eaters overthrow my life again.” She hoped he would understand, he had felt the same sense of dread and fear over the past few weeks as she had. 

He thought for a moment before nodding. “You’re right. I don’t know if I can fully stop worrying, but there is too much to enjoy to let them ruin it. I mean I finally got the girl and am squandering my time with her double checking the windows at night.” 

She smiled at him and stood on her toes to kiss his cheek. “Then we had best remedy that.” 

He grinned back at her before his attention was quickly pulled away by the sound of shattering glass by the love potion display. A teenage boy had dropped one of the bottles as he stared at another teenage boy who was making his way around the shop. Fred grinned as he approached. 

“Word of advice mate, a conversation goes a lot farther than one of these potions.” He said quietly to the boy who then blushed and nodded. 

Hermione grinned at the interaction and wondered briefly just how much dating advice the twins had given Ron throughout his younger years. With how busy it was she decided to stay for a while and help out, bringing stock out from the back, helping customers at the till and giving George reprieve in the back. When the last customer had checked out and the closed sign was displayed, the group gathered in the front, pulling up chairs and stools around the counter. 

“I quit.” Verity said as she tried to elevate her feet on the counter. 

“Me too.” George said from his spot, studying the different colors staining his hands. 

“Sorry Hermione, looks like you’re on your own.” Fred joined in. 

She scoffed and shook her head at everyone. “You all are the reason for this madness. I just got sucked into it.” 

“Only way out it to dump this fool and run away with me.” George said, grinning up at her. 

“Or me.” Verity said slyly, causing the three to look at her with shocked expressions. She shrugged and grinned. “I’m not picky.” 

They laughed and decided they deserved a drink for their long day. The leaky cauldron was busy when they arrived and they made their way to an empty table at the back where the noise was slightly less. Verity made her way to the bar and came back with four shot glasses filled with bright green liquid. 

“Verity..” George groaned, seeing the liquid.

“What?” She asked indignantly. “These are for me.” She laughed before passing them out. 

“To the troublemakers turned success story. May your genius minds never fail.” She saluted before downing the glass in one gulp. 

The other three followed suit and Hermione wrinkled her nose at the bright apple flavor of the drink. They did another round of shots before settling back with glasses of mead. 

“Sooo Freddie.” Verity asked after her second full glass. “Saw Angie earlier today at the shop. You two get a chance to talk.” The witch was definitely teetering on intoxication judging by the red flush to her pale face and the glassy look in her eyes. Not to mention the way she giggled after she asked her questions. 

Hermione glanced over at Fred who had narrowed his eyes at the witch. Even George shifted in his seat looking uncomfortable. “Yeah I saw her. She’s around for her Mum’s wedding.” 

Clearly expecting something juicier, Verity huffed. “You know I never understood why you two broke up in school. I mean everyone was convinced you were perfect for each other. Even Hermione thought so, right?” She asked the other girl. 

Fred turned to Hermione with a surprised look on his face. She looked back at him and shrugged, “You were pretty much attacked at the hip your entire last year.” She offered in explanation. 

“Yeah,” Verity cut in. “Not to mention the whole conversation between George and you about ‘not wanting to wait for her any longer’ and how you were going to ‘ask her this summer’.” She raised her eyebrows suggestively. “What happened Freddie, she turn down your proposal?” 

Fred glared at her, having not known anyone had overheard that particular conversation he and his twin had had the year after they had opened the shop. “Something like that.” He said flatly. 

George, deciding this was a good time to end things, clapped his hands together at the tension between the two. “Well folks, I think it might be time to call it a night. Maybe sober up a bit.” He added under his breath with a look at Verity. 

Hermione had been silent through the interaction, thinking about the scene earlier in the shop and then Verity’s comments. They nagged at her and she decided she thoroughly hated this feeling. She nodded at George’s words, thankful for the interruption before things got even more awkward. The four of them went out to the street to leave and George offered to drop Verity back off at her place to make sure she didn’t end up in Germany. 

Hermione and Fred arrived back at the flat shortly after and she went immediately into the kitchen for a glass of water. 

Fred followed her apprehensively, trying to catch her mood. “Hermione, what Verity said..” 

She shook her head. “No, don’t. It’s okay. That was years ago, and she’s right, we all really thought you were going to end up together.” 

Fred ran his hand through his hair, wanting to explain everything. When he couldn’t think of the right words he nodded before going to the bedroom to change out of his work clothes. He had jeans and a green T-shirt on when he returned to find Hermione seated at the dining room table, flipping through a healing book. He took the chair on the other side and watched her. 

After a few minutes she sighed and closed the book, looking up at him. “Can I ask you something?” 

He nodded, “Of course, anything.” 

She thought for a few seconds, wondering how much she had the right to know. “Why did you and Angelina break up? I wasn’t joking earlier; we really all thought you two would be getting married after Hogwarts. You both seemed really happy together.” 

He thought back to when he was seventeen and nodded. “We were happy.” He said looking at her. 

“Then what happened?” 

“You did.” He said bluntly. It was odd to have to relive an experience he had buried a long time ago. One that he did not remember fondly and had sworn to never think about again. 

Hermione’s face displayed the confusion she felt at his words, “I did? What does that mean?”

He smiled slightly. “I mean love, that you ruined Angie and my relationship.”

“What?” She asked shocked. “I did not!” 

He laughed at her, “Well, not directly. You remember when I told you how long I’ve liked you?” 

She nodded, still waiting for an explanation. 

“Well,” he continued. “I was still with Angie. And towards the end of our relationship, the times I was with her I couldn’t help wish that it you. I really did care about her at first, but my feelings at the end weren’t fair to her.” 

“So you broke it off?” Hermione asked softly. 

Fred chuckled and shook his head. “Not exactly. I think Angie picked up that something was wrong and confronted me about it. I didn’t lie and obviously she ended things.” He remembered the screaming that had ensued when his ex-girlfriend found out about his feelings for another girl. He cringed inwardly, knowing it was a mistake to not tell the witch right away, but he had definitely been confused about the new feelings for his brother’s best friend. 

“Guess that explains the cold shoulder I got today at the shop.” She said. “But what Verity said about you planning to ask her something that summer?” She had figured from the conversation that Fred had been planning to propose to Angelina. 

“George and I weren’t talking about Angelina.” Fred said, looking at her. “We had already been broken up for months at that point.”

“Then who..?” she stopped speaking, understanding. “Me. You were talking about me.” 

He nodded and reached over for her hand, turning it over in his larger ones. He softly traced the lines on her palm. “It was right before we went to get Harry that last time. George had called me out for my stupid excitement about the whole deal. He knew I wasn’t so much excited about the plan as I was seeing you again.” He grinned up at her. “George pretty much told me to get my head out of my arse and stop fawning. I was going to ask you out that summer.” 

Hence the ‘asking her this summer’ comment that Verity had overheard. “Why didn’t you?” Hermione asked, watching his fingers. 

Fred shrugged, thinking back to the events of the summer. “After George got hurt it didn’t quite feel like the best time. Then the wedding happened and before anyone knew it, you lot were gone. And then I missed my chance.” 

It was strange to think about how different her life would have been if he had just found a moment to ask her that summer. She wasn’t even sure what she would have told him if he had asked. There had been so much going on, and with the plans to leave, she probably would have turned him down. In a way she was grateful he hadn’t asked. If she had turned him down the first time then maybe they wouldn’t be together now, and she wasn’t willing to sacrifice that for anything. 

She got up and walked around the table to stand next to him. She smiled at the stray strands of hair sticking up on his head and reached her hand out to tug on one. “Everything worked out alright in the end, yeah?” 

He smiled up at her and caught her hand before she pulled it back, pressing a kiss to the palm. He then stood and brought his mouth to hers, tipping her head back as he buried his hands in her hair. She responded immediately and gripped the front of his shirt in her hands. She laughed when his hands went to her back side and lifted her against him. In three quick steps they were at the counter and she felt the hard surface against her legs as he set her down. He stood between her legs as his hands rested on her hips. 

She shrugged out of her jacket before his hands wandering up across the bare skin of her back, pulling her sweater over her head as they went. Goose bumps formed on her skin as she sat exposed in her bra. Their lips crashed together again as she let her arms fall to his shoulders. 

“Oi!” They pulled apart suddenly at the sound. Hermione looked around Fred to see the other twin standing in the living room with his hand covering his eyes. 

“George!” She pushed at Fred and slid down from the counter, wrapping her arms across her chest as she looked for her top. Fred glared at his brother as he picked up Hermione’s sweater off the floor and handed it to her. He tried to adjust his jeans to hide the painful evidence of their activity. 

“Can we help you?” He asked his brother as Hermione shrugged back into her sweater. 

“Yeah, you can tell me where the bookworm got such a great little body.” George grinned at them, still covering his eyes. 

“George.” Hermione said sternly. 

The younger twin lowered his hand to look at them. “Next time get a room.” 

She threw up her hands. “We live here!” 

“And have frequent visitors.” George said innocently with a smile. “Though if I’d known there would be a show, I’d drop by more often.” 

“George.” It was Fred’s turn to speak up. 

George raised his hands at his brother, “All right, all right. Figured I’d drop by and make sure the power couple was still together after Verity’s comments tonight. Wasn’t sure that Hermione would believe your story so I wanted to be here to provide collateral.” 

“What makes you any more trustworthy?” Hermione asked. 

George considered this, “Good point. But either way, looks like you survived the firestorm so I’ll just be going.” 

He turned to leave before glancing over his shoulder with a grin, “By the way, Alicia is pregnant.” 

“What!” Hermione yelled in surprise as the prankster apparated away. 

She turned to Fred with a shocked expression on her face, “Was that a joke?” 

Fred laughed and shook his head, “Doubtful. When he first told us about Roxy he thought the best way was to give everyone puking pastels to emulate the morning sickness Ali had. Not the most tactful when it comes to sharing big news.” 

“Well congrats I guess,” she said with a slight smile. “Favorite uncle status just increased by a point.” 

He stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her waist, “Don’t tell my brothers.” 

She laughed, everyone already knew that Fred was the favorite among the younger kids. “Wouldn’t dream of it.” 

He grinned and leaned down to kiss her again, “Now where were we?”


	24. New Years

Christmas was an uneventful affair, passing quickly as it usually did. They all felt the absence of Ron more acutely given that it was the anniversary of his leaving. Hermione couldn’t believe how quickly the time had gone by. It felt like so much had happened over the past year but in reality, they were all still in the same position as before. She thought about last Christmas as she and Fred packed their bags back at his flat; Bill and Fleur had invited everyone to Shell Cottage to ring in the New Year together. 

“Do you think I’ve brought enough fireworks?” Fred asked, studying his pickings. 

She looked over at the mounds of pyrotechnics laid out on their bed. “Might want to grab one or two more.” She said sarcastically. 

He grinned over at her before adding six more sparklers to the pile, causing Hermione to roll her eyes. She had just tossed another pair of thick socks into the bag when she heard commotion from the living room. 

“Hurry up. That’ll be them.” She zipped her duffel and slung it over her shoulder before treading out of the bedroom. Harry and Ginny stood next to the couch as Harry bounced baby James on his hip. The black hair the child had been born with had continued to grow and now formed a nice mop on the boy’s head, just like his father’s. 

“Fred is just packing up his stash and then we are ready.” Hermione said as she joined them, tickling James’s round belly with her fingers. The baby laughed and grabbed at her hand, bringing her knuckle to his mouth to chew on. 

“Careful, he’s got new teeth.” Ginny warned just as James sunk one such tooth into Hermione’s finger. She pulled it back quickly, expecting to find blood drawn from the sharp fangs the baby now possessed. 

“Ow.” She said, not finding any break in the skin. 

Ginny sighed and raised her eyebrows at her friend, “You’re telling me.” 

“Alright. Ready to go.” Fred said as he joined the group with two bags in hand, one significantly larger than the other. 

Ginny eyed the larger of the bags, “How much clothing are you bringing Fred? You’re worse than I am.” 

Fred grinned smugly at her. “That’s not my clothing bag.” Hermione laughed as Ginny shook her head. The thought of the twin packing more clothing than fireworks on New Year’s was definitely laughable. She could only imagine the amount they would have once George showed up with his share. 

The cold air surrounding them as they landed on the beach and there was snow that crunched under their feet. Hermione pulled her jacket tighter around herself and Harry blocked the wind off of James as they hurried up the path to the house. The warm air inside stung Hermione’s cheeks and she turned around to deposit her bag off to the side. Fred was wrestling to untangle the two straps of his bags so he could set them down, so she reached over to help him. When the bags were finally set down Fred leaned over and gave her a quick kiss, pulling her hat over her eyes as he did. 

She laughed and swatted at him as he passed her. They placed their jackets on the bench just inside the door and Hermione took James from Harry so he could take off his own jacket. With the baby she walked into the living room to join George and Alicia who had already arrived with Roxanne in tow. Bill was sitting near the roaring fireplace with Charlie while Fleur could be heard from the kitchen talking with Mrs. Weasley. Hermione greeted everyone before walking around the room with the baby, talking quietly with him and pointing out the pictures and figurines on the bookshelf. 

Fred watched her from his seat on the couch. He had been talking to his twin, comparing their separate stashes of fireworks when he caught site of her. He chuckled at the thick socks she had tucked her jeans into, knowing how her feet were always cold in the winter. The gray flannel she was wearing was unbuttoned to show the dark green T-shirt underneath that was partly tucked in, exposing a thin brown belt. Her hair was in a thick braid slung over her shoulder and James seemed more interested in that than the photos she was telling him about, as she had to pull the strands out of his fingers again. 

She turned to look back at the group and caught his eye, smiling softly. He grinned back at her before turning to his brother again. Hermione had not been wrong, they definitely brought a lot of fireworks. But if you had the goods why not use them? Fred thought to himself, knowing that his mother might not be in agreement. 

Hermione found a chair in the corner next to Alicia’s who watched the other girl as she sat down and propped James in her lap. She bounced him for a few minutes and made faces, making the little boy laugh. 

“You two look good together,” Alicia commented with a smile. “Planning on your own any time soon?”

Hermione rolled her eyes at the other witch, “I think being pregnant has muddle your brain.” 

Alicia smiled and ran her hand over the small bump of her stomach. “Well you’re not wrong. Yesterday I put my shoes on the wrong feet and couldn't figure out why they felt so uncomfortable. I must have walked around like that for a good hour.” She laughed and shook her head. 

“Is George excited?” Hermione asked, glancing over at the twins talking. 

“Of course. I honestly don’t think there is anything he enjoys more than being a dad. He’d have a hundred children if it were up to him.”

“Luckily it’s not up to him,” Hermione said, raising her eyebrows at the other witch who nodded vigorously. They continued to talk for a few more minutes before Mrs. Weasley emerged from the kitchen announcing that food was ready. As per tradition the hors d'oeuvres meal was laid out on the kitchen counter as the family placed what they wanted on their plates. Ginny took James back from Hermione after she had gotten her food so the other witch could get a plate. Hermione perched herself on Fred’s lap when she went to sit down as the table was not as large or accommodating as the one at the Burrow. He put a hand on her thigh and stole a croissant off of her plate. 

“There were plenty up there, why didn’t you just grab one.” She asked as he shoved the bread into his mouth. 

“Yours are better.” He grinned before reaching for something else on her plate. She retaliated by grabbing a pumpkin pasty off of his, his favorite treat. 

“Yours are better.” She said smugly seeing the hurt look on his face. 

“So Charlie,” Mrs. Weasley spoke to her son from their end of the table. “What’s this I hear about you spending Christmas with a special someone when you told us you couldn’t make it away from work?” 

The question caught Hermione’s attention and she turned so she could hear over the chatter from the other end. Charlie stopped the path of the fork to his mouth and looked worriedly at his mother. “It was just someone from work Mum. They invited everyone who had to stay behind.” 

“Mhm, so when are we going to meet him?” She asked, cutting into one of the potatoes on her plate. 

Charlie shook his head, “Well they live in Romania, so..” He stopped talking and looked in shock at his mother. Hermione eyes went wide at the exchange, watching Charlie carefully. “Did you just say him?” He said quietly staring at his mother. 

Mrs. Weasley furrowed her brows in confusion. “Of course, dear. Why would I say anything else? I mean it’s one thing to not come home for Christmas but a whole other thing to hear from Oliver’s mother that you had spent it with them without even telling us.” 

This was news to Hermione. She knew the older Weasley was dating but he would never disclose who it was and she didn't want to pressure him into revealing. After the drunken conversation between them many years ago where Charlie revealed his closest kept secret, Hermione had been waiting patiently until he felt comfortable enough to share that portion of his life. To hear Mrs. Weasley address it like it was any other conversation quelled every fear he had ever had over his family not accepting it. 

Charlie’s expression was still one of shock and Mrs. Weasley smile at him and patted his hand. “We would like to be formally introduced to this young man any time you’d like to bring him home.” 

His eyes filled and he leaned over to hug his mother who gripped him tightly back, her sons had never been good at hiding secrets from her. Hermione felt tears prick at her own eyes in happiness for Charlie. It still surprised her that the fact that was so obvious to her remained oblivious to the rest of the younger Weasleys. 

Fred leaned again her back, “Did I just hear what I think I heard?” He whispered in her ear. 

She nodded and looked at him over her shoulder. “You really didn’t know?”

He shook his head. “You did?”

Smiling slightly she looked back at the mother-son duo who were now talking softly, heads bent together. Fred watched them too and grinned, pressing a kiss to Hermione’s shoulder. 

When dinner was over Mr. and Mrs. Weasley gathered the four younger kids and went back to the Burrow for a grandparent party, leaving the middle generation at the cottage. Bill went to the cupboards and started to pull out bottles of liquor, grinning at the other adults. 

Ginny groaned at the sight, “Last time we did this I ended up with James.” 

Her brother’s looked at her in shock at her revelation. “The bonfire night?” Hermione asked, grinning widely at her friend. Guess it was a good thing for everyone that she had decided to take a walk that night instead of going back to bed. 

Bill poured drinks and handed them out, to everyone except Alicia of course who looked put out at her stomach. It was nearing eleven o’clock and the group went to bundle up in their winter things, Charlie had laid out a fire that the group gathered around on the beach. Thankfully the biting wind had died down from earlier and the ocean water was still in the night. Fred stood behind Hermione, one arm hugged her to him as she shifted to stay warm. He whispered things in her ear causing her to blush and elbow his side. He grinned and planted a kiss on her hat covered head. 

The heat from the fire and Fred behind her, as well as the alcohol caused her cheeks to flush. With a few minutes before midnight George broke away from Alicia to make sure the fuse to ignite the fireworks was in the right position. 

“Shouldn’t you help him?” Hermione said over her shoulder to Fred. 

He smiled behind her, “No, he’s got it.” 

Harry was passing out glasses of champagne for the count down and Ginny jumped excitedly when Charlie announced there was a minute left. 

The group gathered closer together as the countdown started. They chanted in unison each passing second. 

“10!” 

“9!” 

“8!”

George sent a spark towards the fuse and ran back to stand beside his wife, grinning at her as she handed him a glass. 

“7!”

“6!” 

“5!”

“4!” 

Hermione turned towards Fred with a large smile, counting down the last few seconds together. 

“3!”

“2!”

“1!”

“Happy New Year!” They all exclaimed loudly, raising their glasses and taking a large gulp of the bubbly liquid. Hermione giggled as Fred wrapped his arm about her waist and pulled her closer, kissing her soundly on her lips. She kissed him back fiercely as the rest of the couples did the same while Charlie drained the rest of his cup. The large booms and pops of the fireworks going off above them caught their attention and they pulled apart to look up towards the sky. 

The brilliance of the display was breath taking and Hermione laughed as she watched several fireworks that she had not seen before go off. The display of lights were glistening on the ocean and lighting up the faces of the onlookers below. 

“You definitely packed enough.” She said happily as she glanced over to look at Fred. When she didn’t see him next to her she looked around and gasped quietly. In the flashing, colorful light from above she could see that he had dropped to his knee and was looking up at her. He smiled, finally having caught her attention and pulled out the ring that had been sitting in his jacket pocket for weeks now. 

She forgot her surroundings entirely as she watched his actions, her heat racing in her chest. She couldn’t stop smiling as he started to speak, his voice carrying over the noise around them. 

“Hermione, over a year and half ago on this beach, I made the best drunken decision and kissed my best friend. I have loved you for almost half my life and nothing makes me happier than thinking about spending the rest of it with you. Will you marry me?” 

Hermione’s grin widened and she nodded her head, “Of course I will.” He smiled up at her and stood quickly and she wrapped her arms about his neck as he bent down to kiss her. The others around them who had been watching in shock and excitement as the proposal played out before, them started to cheer at the obvious acceptance. The couple pulled apart, laughing at the attention around the rest of the family. Hermione kissed Fred again and laughed before leaning against him as they watched the rest of the fireworks still popping above them. At the grand finale they all cheered and clapped as the multitude of shimmering lights flared above them in quick succession. 

When the sky went dark and the smell of gunpowder lingered in the air, the group turned back towards the newly engaged couple to congratulate them. 

“Let me see the ring?” Ginny asked excitedly as she pulled Hermione’s hand to her. 

“Oh!” Hermione exclaimed, looking over at Fred. “We forgot.” 

Her fiancé grinned and stepped over to her, once again taking the ring he has stashed back in his pocket out. She pulled off her mitten and held out her hand for him. The simple oval diamond was flanked by two smaller circular diamonds resting on the thin gold band. It fit her perfectly and she smiled up at him as the ring came to rest on her finger.

“I love it. It's absolutely perfect.” She said, standing on her toes to kiss him again. 

“Yes it is.” Ginny said from beside them, having pulled Hermione’s hand towards her again. “Can’t believe you didn’t ask me for help.” This was directed at her brother. 

“You just agreed that it was perfect. Why did I need your help?” Fred said, smirking at his sister. 

She glowered at him and Harry came to stand beside her, smiling. He pulled Hermione into a tight hug, “Congratulations.” 

Hermione held onto him, briefly wishing he wasn’t her only family that she could tell tonight. He kissed her cheek, knowing she was thinking about her parents, before pulling back with a grin to look at Fred. 

“So do I get to do the ‘big brother’ talk now?” He asked, remembering the detailed one he had gotten after his own proposal to Ginny. 

Ginny laughed. “Technically you’re younger than both of them so that wouldn’t really work.” 

The group started to make their way back inside but Fred and Hermione hung back. Once they were alone on the empty beach she stepped forwards into his arms and rested her head against his chest. “I love you.” She said against his jacket. 

He kissed the top of her head and held her tighter. “I love you too.” The scene was reminiscent of a similar one that had started everything for them. 

He had been nervous about this night for the past two weeks. Luckily his practice of keeping things hidden while in school had paid off and it seemed that she hadn’t suspected anything. There had been so many times since he bought the ring that he he had wanted to just ask her outright, but he held off, already having the perfect plan in place. 

They made their way up to the darkened house and walked quietly through the living room and kitchen to the same glass encased porch Fred had slept in that last time they were here. The bed was already made and someone, bless them, had set a warming spell over the room to ward off the chills seeping through the many windows. Hermione changed quickly and slid under the quilts, pulling them tightly to her chin. She could barely see Fred in the darkness but felt him pull back the covers and lay down next to her. He pulled her close and his warmth enveloped her as she turned to face him. 

“You really want to be stuck with me the rest of your life?” He asked in a hushed tone, his breath tickling her nose. 

“Well when you put it that way.” She countered back. 

He breathed out in a noiseless laugh as her lips sought his in the dark. “You really want to be stuck with me?” She asked when she pulled back. 

He rolled then, coming to rest just on top of her, taking his weight on his elbows. Her hands went to his waist as he bent closer, “Wouldn’t dream of anything else.” 

He kissed her again, soft and slow, his tongue running along her lower lip before she sighed and parted them. Before getting into bed he had taken off all of his clothing so his need for her was very evident as it pressed against her pelvis. He ground against her as she arched her hips up to meet him. Pulling back from her lips, he bent his head to the soft skin of her neck, kissing her there while his hand ran down to the waistband of her pants. He slipped his fingers under the fabric down to touch her. 

She squirmed under him and once he found that she was as ready as he was, he pushed her bottoms down. Hermione raised her hips and shimmied to get the long pants off. One her legs were free Fred laid back down between them, kissing her once again. She gasped against his mouth as she felt him enter her. He was almost shaking with desire when he stilled for a moment, breathing in the intoxicated scent of her. 

When they began to move it was slow and careful, trying not to make any noise but still finding the pleasure they needed from each other. Fred rocked against her, still holding his mouth against hers. When the heat built up between them their movements became more urgent as he pulled back to watch her. In the darkness he could barely see her face but felt the quickness of her breath on him. He rolled his hips against hers and felt her come undone beneath him. Her back arched against his as he pressed his lips to her exposed neck. He could feel the spasms of her walls around him and groaned. With two quick strokes he was following her lead, breath caught in his throat as he found his own release. 

They lay entwined for several minutes, slowly kissing the other before Fred slid out of her and rolled onto his side, pulling her back flush to his chest. He buried his face in the mess of hair. “I love you.” 

She turned her head over her shoulder to look at him, “I love you too.” She kissed him before settling back on her side with his warm arms encasing her. 

\- - 

As one could expect, Mrs. Weasley’s reaction to her son and honorary daughter getting engaged was an emotional one. She had cried and hugged each of them what must have been a hundred times. When she finally pulled away from Hermione the last time she sniffed against her handkerchief and smiled brightly.

“Oh you must be so excited to start planning!” She said cheerfully, already thinking about the prospect of another wedding. 

“Actually, no. This only happened two days ago Mum, we haven’t even talked about what we’d like yet.” Fred interjected laughing.

“Well that’s two days wasted Fredrick,” his mother shook her head at him. “If you want a summer wedding then there is only so much time left.” 

“Mrs. Weasley we haven’t even picked a date yet. We just wanted you and Mr. Weasley to be the first to know.” Hermione added next to him. 

Mrs. Weasley softened at this. “Oh my dear. That is very thoughtful of you.” Her eyes started to water again and she hugged the younger witch. Hermione looked over at Fred from his mother’s shoulder who only shrugged helplessly. Mrs. Weasley was a force of nature when it came to planning her children’s weddings. 

As Hermione pulled back she gripped one of the older witch’s hands, “I promise we will let you know what ever we decide.” 

When they returned to the peacefulness of their flat, they sat on the couch with a sigh. Mrs. Weasley had brought out the many bridal magazines to show Hermione and her eyes were still swimming with images of flowers and white dresses. Fred had stayed around to veto any crazy ideas his mother came up with, strongly nixing the horse drawn carriage that she had tried to get Ginny to agree to. 

“I’ve heard about this place in America where you can just show up and some dressed up nutter will marry you.” Fred said as he propped his feet onto the coffee table. The idea of eloping seemed much more appealing right now than planning an entire wedding with his mother. Then again, he couldn’t keep a grin off his face as he pictured Hermione walking down an aisle to him in a white dress.

“I think your mother would murder us if we ran off to Vegas.” Hermione said as she tucked her feet up under her. 

“Very likely.” He turned slightly to look at her, “So what sort of wedding would you like, Granger?” 

She looked over at him, thinking. “To be completely honest, I’ve not thought about it that much. Probably one where I get to marry you. And what is your dream wedding Fredrick?” 

He put his arm around her shoulders, “Well it all starts when I arrive dramatically at the alter by one of Charlie’s dragons. Then the flowers will all start singing as you arrive even more dramatically by a broom drawn carriage. Figured that way you wouldn’t freak out on the brook itself,” He added and she rolled her eyes. 

“And what will I be wearing?” She asked smiling at his antics. 

He grinned mischievously at her, “Well I always did like the way you looked in your Hogwarts uniform.” 

She gasped and pushed back from his chest, “You are the absolute worst!” 

“And yet you still agreed to marry me, cant back out now.” He laughed and reached out to tuck a curl behind her ear. “Honestly Hermione, we could get married in the middle of a swamp in the pouring rain and I wouldn’t care. Just as long as I finally get to marry you.” 

She smiled and leaned forward on her knees to kiss him. “So swamp wedding it is.” She said in agreement.


	25. Chapter 25

_Ms. Hermione Jean Granger_   
_Flat at the top of Weasley Wizarding Wheezes_   
_Diagon Alley_

_You are cordially invited to a ball and reception to commemorate the seventh year anniversary of the end of the war. This event is to commemorate those we have lost as well as the lives we have rebuilt._

_On this special anniversary we invite you to remember with us, and celebrate, on the second of May._

_Minerva McGonagall, Headmistress_

Hermione re-read the invitation for the third time. She had just gotten home from work when a large barn own arrived holding two perfectly folded envelops. One was addressed to Fred and the other to her, she suspected Fred’s envelope held a similar invitation.

She changed out of her scrubs and went to start working on dinner. While Fred was definitely the better cook between the two, her skills were good enough. She turned her muggle radio on as she chopped celery and carrots for the stew she was making. The music was deafening, just the way she liked it when she cooked. It allowed her to get lost in her thoughts and escape from any worries or stress.

She was standing at the stove adding the final herbs to the bubbling soup in front of her when she felt arms wrap around her waist. She smiled and leaned back.

“Smells good.” Came a voice that made smile falter a bit.

“Thanks. Staying for dinner George?” She asked before turning around to smirk at the younger twin.

He grinned right back. “You know it’s sad when you can tell us apart better than our own mother.”

She laughed and shook her head, “Right because the obvious missing ear, haircut and Fred’s beard aren’t enough of giveaways.”

He went to lean against the island counter top and bit into the carrots that were still sitting out. “Yeah but you didn’t see my face.”

She shrugged and turned back to her task, “Your voices are different.”

He considered this for a bit before conceding and settling on one of the stools. Hermione pulled out two bottles of butter beer, handing one to him before sitting down herself with hers.

“Did you get an invite?” George asked after taking a long sip.

She nodded. “It’s a bit odd. Why would they decide to suddenly start commemorating it now? I mean the repairs were made years ago, they could have done this at any time.”

George actually knew this one. “I think that it’s because everyone who would have been at school during the war has now graduated. The first years at that time would have finished last year so guess they want to keep reminding those who weren’t directly involved of what happened.”

She thought about this and agreed that it did make sense, it was unfortunate that they required a large event to remind people of the horrors the wizarding word had been through. It was hard to imagine any one forgetting about the things that they had suffered through.

Fred came through the door of the flat and seeing Hermione and his brother, he went over to them. He kissed the top of Hermione’s head and stole a pull from her bottle, “Smells good, love.”

She sent a glance at George who grinned, “Where have I heard that before.”

She took her drink back and gestured towards the dining table. “You’ve got a letter.”

As Fred opened his letter his brows furrowed. He hadn’t been back to the castle since he had almost died there, and he wasn’t sure he wanted to. So much had changed in his life during that fateful night. The realization that he had almost died, and likely would have had really gotten to him for a few years. He pushed back those all too familiar feelings and turned back to his fiancé and brother. “Everyone get one?”

Hermione and George both nodded at him. They were sure at this point everyone who had been at Hogwarts during that day seven years ago was getting an invitation.

“Well, guess we’re going to party.” Fred said smiling, raising his letter in the air.

Hermione shook her head at him, “I don’t really think that is what the intent is.”

“Well it says ‘ball’ and the last ball we had at Hogwarts was a wild affair. Any less from them now and I am going to protest.” George said next to Hermione. He agreed with his brother, if they were going to have to relive that night then they were going to enjoy it.

“Think of it like a practice run for the wedding, Granger,” Fred said coming to stand next to her. “We get to be all dressed up and then get completely wasted.”

They hadn’t made many plans yet for the wedding in the four months since their engagement. They did agree on a date, thinking what would be the shop’s least busy time and had settled on July, 14tth over three months from now. Ginny kept pushing them to make further plans and Hermione had finally relented and agreed to go dress shopping with her tomorrow. At least she could knock out two birds with one stone and find a dress for the ball as well, too bad she couldn’t just wear the same one.

The three of them ate dinner an hour later, George making several cracks about how much her cooking had improved and how she was going to make a wonderful house wife.

“You’ll not get any of the brownies this little housewife made if you keep it up.” She threatened him with good results.

After George had eaten a quarter of the pan and taken a plate home for Ali and Roxy, Fred took over washing dishes. Hermione sat behind him at the counter and watched, appreciating the stature of her fiancé. He hated the word but she loved calling him that.

“I can feel you staring at me Granger. If you want to oogle me I’d be more than happy to undress.” He said over his shoulder.

She blushed at having been caught. “Well I wouldn’t necessarily be opposed to the idea.”

He laughed and turned around to face her, wiping his hands on a dishtowel. Honestly there wasn’t much she found sexier than Fred when he did the dishes, especially wearing her favorite jeans and a T-shirt.

“So how do you really feel about this ball thing?” Hermione asked, knowing that he still had an adverse reaction at the thought of going back to Hogwarts.

He smiled at how well she could read him. “I don’t know. I haven’t been back since almost dying so I guess I don’t know how I’ll feel being back thee. Will just have to find out.” He tried to sound reassuring and not show the worry he really felt.

“I wouldn’t have to shave my beard right?” He asked hopeful.

She laughed at that, “Absolutely not. That’s my favorite part about you.”

\- -

It turns out that when she agreed to go dress shopping with Ginny, it actually meant that she agreed to go with Ginny, Luna, Alicia and Audrey. While she had been happy to see the other women, she knew that it would make the process much less simpler. Madam Maxine’s was thankfully empty when the group arrived that afternoon. The girls immediately scattered to pull dresses both for Hermione as well as for themselves for the ball. They had decided to find Hogwarts dresses first before looking at wedding dresses.

Alicia and Audrey found their dresses easily within a few minutes, both witches having had a prior idea of what they wanted. Alicia’s was bright pink with fluttering sleeves while Audrey’s was definitely less flashy in a beautiful soft grey fabric with some beading to the bodice. Hermione was trying on the second of her two picks, a simple light blue dress with a halter neckline. It wasn’t anything spectacular but she didn’t mind it.

As she emerged from the fitting room to show the others Ginny immediately made a face.

“What?” Hermione asked, putting her hand on her hips.

“Hermione this dress is for someone five times your age.” Ginny said bluntly, causing Hermione to start smiling. The redhead stood up and started towards the back of the store. When she came back she was bringing a dress with her.

Hermione looked at her skeptically as she was handed the dress. “This one.” Ginny said with certainty.

After slipping into Ginny’s pick and looking at herself in the mirror, she sighed. She knew she never should have doubted her. The dress was a dark forest green silk that hugged her body and flared slightly at her waist, floating down over her legs. It was cut low over her back with thin straps crisscrossing over the exposed skin. It was perfect, Hermione thought. This was also the general consensus from the spectators when she pulled back the curtain. Ginny sat smugly with the others with a very pointed ‘I told you so’ look.

Ginny’s choice was also perfect for the girl. She had chosen a black and gold column dress, cut high at the neck but quite low over her back. Hermione laughed as she wondered what McGonagall would have to say to the witch. Luna chose a lavender high-low dress that had an ethereal shimmer to it when she moved. When all the girls had chosen their dresses it was time for the grand finale of the wedding dress.

Hermione was tired at this point of the day and begrudgingly got up off the couch to try on more dresses. The first two were nixed quite quickly by the group as they were fluffy ball gowns that swamped her small frame. The next was a contender but was definitely more Ginny’s style, and while that worked for her other dress, Hermione knew that it wasn’t the right idea for her wedding dress.

After she had pulled the slinky dress off and slid into the fourth dress that she had picked out herself, she knew this would be the one. Where Ginny’s wedding dress has been extravagant and detailed like its wearer, this one was simple and elegant. The bodice was made of a sturdier satin material that dropped down from the thin straps over her shoulders to cut low between her breasts in a V-shape. It hugged her tightly to her waist where it gently flared out to a soft floaty material Hermione couldn’t identify. It was a light ivory color instead of stark white, which gave her a glow. A row of small stain covered buttons ran from the dip of the neckline to the waist.

After the dress magically shrunk to fit her small frame, Hermione stared at herself in the mirror. They had been being so nonchalant about the wedding as neither of them wanted anything extravagant. It hadn’t even felt real that they were getting married in just a few short months. That is until now; standing here in her wedding dress, imaging walking towards Fred. She now knew why some brides cried when they found their dress.

Taking a deep breath, she smoothed her hands over the skirt before stepping through the curtain to face her friends. Silence greeted her, but their open mouths and the tears forming in Audrey’s eyes told Hermione everything she needed to know.

“I think this is it.” She said with a smile.

“You think?” Ginny finally spoke, “Hermione if you do not pick this one them I am going to buy it and force it on you the day of. It’s perfect!” The redhead got up to hug the bride-to-be.

Hermione laughed and turned towards the others who all voiced their approval. They informed Madam Maxine of her decision who happily ushered them towards the shoes and jewelry which Luna fawned over. Hermione picked out a longer thin golden chain that held a light gold stone with rough edges that sparked in the light. After another hour they left the shop with their purchases and headed to the Leaky Cauldron for an early dinner.

\- -

She arrived back at the flat later that evening and found Fred sprawled on the couch watching the television. After kicking off her shoes she settled next to him in the space where his legs had been.

“That your dress?” Fred asked, pointing to the garment bag she had hung from the coat rack near the door.

“It’s one of my dresses. Ginny didn’t exactly think you were trustworthy enough to stay away from the other one so she took it with her.” Hermione laughed at Fred’s shocked expression.

“My own sister.” He said darkly before hitching himself up to kiss her. “You’d never think that of me, right Granger?” He asked with a smile once they pulled apart.

She raised her eyebrows at him. “Fred I once saw you unwrap and then rewrap your presents days before Christmas when you were sixteen. I wouldn’t exactly call you a patient person.”

He laughed at the memory and fell back on the couch. That was the year he had asked for one of those muggle joke sets and had been counting down the day to when he could get his hands on one. He had been so disappointed when his snooping had only revealed socks. Good thing his mother knew him better too and had hidden all of his other presents, bringing them out Christmas morning.

She traced her hand absentmindedly over his knee as they watched a show together. It had been an exhausting day and she wanted nothing more than to rest her head on the couch and fall asleep, but she also felt… wanting. Fred must have had the same inclination as they both moved towards each other at the same time. She laughed as his hand pulled her down to lay on top of him. They kissed lazily, his hands running up and down her back, casually dragging her shirt off.

He sat up suddenly and Hermione had to reposition herself to where she was straddling him. The kiss was more urgent now and she moved her hips against his, eliciting a groan from his lips. After pulling his shirt off she stood slightly to push her own jeans down her legs, as he did the same. He reached for her, grabbing her hips to pull her back towards him. Wearing only her bra she teased him a bit before taking him fully. She could never get over the sensations she felt with Fred, it was unlike any other feeling in the world. Like being too close to a firework but feeling completely safe and secure the entire time.

She leaned forward to kiss him as she began to lift herself over him. His hands were still at her hips as he guided her movements, fingers digging into her skin. Her hands were steadying her at the back of the couch before coming to rest on his shoulder as he began to thrust up into her. As he reached between them to find her most sensitive spot, she gasped and let her head tip back, falling off the edge as her body contracted.

As the waves of pleasure washed over her, Fred gripped her and flipped them in one smooth motion. He pressed her back against the couch as he continued to move against her. Once she had regained her senses she wrapped a leg about his hips, pulling him closer to her. The only light in the room was from the television, but with this Hermione could see the slight sheen of sweat forming on his forehead.

Knowing they were both close she brought her mouth to his neck, biting softly, spurring him on. After a few more moments she arched up against him and cried out, at the same time he said her name and found his own release. Exhausted he rested his head down to the crook in her neck and breathed in her scent. They lay like that for several minutes, Hermione almost falling asleep when Fred pushed himself off of her.

“Come on love.” He said quietly as he pulled her up. Knowing they both needed it he lead her to the bathroom and turned on the shower. Hermione sighed when the hot water washed over her body. They stood together under the stream, helping wash each other and laughing. When they were clean they simply clung together, enjoying the heat of the water and the comfort of each others bodies.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shorter chapter today! Longer ones to come I promise :)


	26. Hogwarts

“Hermione! Ginny! We’re going to be late!” Fred called from the bottom of the stairs at Grimwauld’s Place. He looked over at Harry who merely shrugged at him. 

“I’ve lived with Ginny for years mate. Leaving on time isn’t even an option anymore.” Harry said apologetically. 

Fred shook his head and glanced at his watch. They were supposed to leave for Hogwarts in a few minutes and there had been no sighting of their female counterparts. Harry had gone earlier to drop off James with Bill and Fleur who volunteered to babysit for the night. Fred felt his stomach rumble as he had not eaten all day in anticipation of the Hogwarts feast they were about to indulge in. It had been the one thing he had been excited for with this whole shindig. Everything else just seemed to make him anxious. 

“All right, all right. We’re coming!” Came a voice from on top of the stairs. Ginny all but fell down the stairs in her rush to pull her shoes on as she descended. Harry grinned wildly at his wife as she came to the bottom with a little hop to catch her footing. 

“Where’s Hermione?” Fred asked his sister as she went to stand beside Harry who was now ogling her dress. 

“Forgot something in her bag.” Ginny said before movement caught her eye at the top of the stair. 

Hermione came quickly down the stairs, holding her long skirt and beaded bag in one hand while the other was elbow deep, rummaging in the familiar bag. Fred caught site of her and his mouth all but dropped. The green dress she had bought last month clung to her waist and flowed over her hips and legs. Her long hair had been messily pulled into a fishtail braid, leaving curls free around her face and ears, and as she got closer, he saw that her eyes were darkened with black and dark green eye shadow. She smiled as she approached him, seeing his expression. 

“Where’ve you been all my life Granger?” He said as he took in the full effect of her attire. His mouth felt slightly dry and he would have given anything to turn back up the stairs to a bedroom where he could appreciate her outfit more. 

She seemed to have read his mind and smirked knowingly at him. She took her own appreciative evaluation of his own outfit and reached over to smooth the lapels of his jacket, “You don’t look so bad yourself Weasley.” 

And he didn’t. Seeing a Weasley dressed up was the quite the rare occurrence, unless it was Percy of course. It was even more strange to see Fred in something other than his usual T-shirt and jeans or shop clothes. To see him now in black formal dress robes with his hair and beard groomed would have made her weak at the knees if Ginny had not have cleared her throat. 

“Well as soon as you two stop shagging each other with your eyes, we can go.” The redhead said, looking amused at her brother and friend. They really did make quite a handsome couple, and the healer looked especially good in the dress she had picked out for her of course. 

“Not like we’re in a hurry Gin.” Fred said, smiling brightly at his sister who glowered at him. 

Professor McGonagall had sent out portkeys to the invited if they needed one. Harry who had been holding the old school cloak in his hands, held it out for the rest of them to grab hold. Hermione held her breath as she felt the world start to spin, squeezing her eyes closed until she felt solid ground beneath her feet. Her heart was pounding when she finally opened her eyes and looked around the familiar setting. 

The sun was setting behind the expansive castle she had called home for a large portion of her life. They had landed on the other side of the same bridge she, Harry and Ron had stood on contemplating their lives on seven years ago. The stones were now repaired and lights illuminated the walkway up towards the castle. 

Hermione tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear before looking over at Fred. He was staring up at the school as she had been, but his face was surprisingly pale. She knew he had been feeling apprehensive about going the past few days but she thought that it would pass once they made it. He looked over at her gratefully as she took his hand and squeezed it. She gave him a reassuring smile and looped her arm through the one he offered. 

They were greeted at the main entrance by a familiar, comforting site; Minerva McGonagall stood in front of them as she had on so many occasions when they were in school. She smiled at the approaching group after she finished greeting the most recent to arrive. 

“Welcome back.” She said as they got closer to her. “Potter, Ms. Granger, Mr. Weasley, Ms. Weasley, or I suppose it’s Potter now.” She addressed each of them. 

“Professor.” Harry said fondly, stepping forward to hug her. The older witch looked surprised at this but then quickly changed as she hugged her former student back. Hermione watched the exchange happily, knowing how much McGonagall had stood up for them in their youth when the whole world seemed against them. 

As Harry pulled back smiling, the headmistress turned her attention to Hermione. “I must say Ms. Granger that I was surprised to learn of your upcoming nuptials. If I hadn’t known you better I would have accused this young man of slipping you a love potion.” 

Hermione grinned as Fred scoffed and stepped forward. “Now Minerva, you know you’ll always be my one true love. We could have been happy together but you turned me down for the yule ball. I had to settle for someone.” 

Their professor shook her head slightly and tried to keep the small smile from forming on her lips. “Mr. Weasley, I have plenty to discuss with you about the products you equip our students with. However I am glad to see that you have done so well for yourselves.” 

Another group approached the entrance so the four-some continued into the castle, McGonagall patting Harry’s shoulder as they passed. The courtyard was bustling with activity as fancily dressed witches and wizards scurried about greeting one another. The rubble that they had last seen the area in was now repaired and the archways stood strong. As the group walked through the crowd, more and more people became aware of their presence. A hushed whisper seemed to sweep across the area as people turned to look at them, soon they became aware of the stares and stopped. 

Fred leaned down to whisper in Hermione’s ear as a hush fell over the crowd, “I told you the beard would be too big of a shock.” She elbowed him slightly, feeling uncomfortable with the sudden attention. She realized suddenly that they were standing in the exact spot that Harry had defeated Voldemort all those years ago. A quick glance at her friend told her that he was just as aware of that fact as she was. 

A sudden onset of clapping startled them and Hermione saw near the back of the crowd the source of the cnoise. Neville Longbottom was walking forwards towards them, clapping as he went. Others in the crowd started nodding and clapping with him, some even cheering Harry’s name. Hermione even heard her own name being called out along with Ron’s. The conjoined applause was deafening and Hermione turned to Harry, feeling overwhelmed. He looked back at her with the same feelings, wishing they could be eleven again and relatively nameless walking towards their classes. She smiled and reached out to give his hand a squeeze. Harry nodded to the crowd and waved his hand until they quieted down. 

“Thank you all.” It was the only thing he could think to say. He was never anyone’s hero and did not particularly enjoy the fame and attention that came with his past exploits. Unfortunately, when you defeat the darkest wizard alive, you develop a sort of reputation. The crowd died down and many turned back to their companions to talk about the boy-who-lived, while other’s continued to stare in awe at the boy-who-lived. 

Neville had reached them and pulled Hermione and Ginny into a hug. He shook Harry and Fred’s hands next and stood beaming at the group. 

“Neville. How’re you?” Harry asked his old school mate. 

“Never better. You?” He had changed so much since they last saw him. He was leaner and stood taller that Hermione remembered him. His features were more pronounced that they were when he was seventeen, taking away the boyishness to his features. 

They all nodded and smiled in response. “I still can’t believe you work here Neville. I mean I can, but still.” Ginny said happily. It was no surprise when Neville was offered the Herbology Professorship when Professor Sprout retired; there truly was no one better to replace her. “And you’re married right?” 

Neville nodded pointing to a tall blonde witch standing near the edge of the courtyard, seemingly in animated discussion with Dean Thomas. “Hannah’s starting at the prophet in a few days. She’s really excited, though I think it’ll be hard to leave Jordan at home.” He said in reference to his three-year-old daughter. 

“It’s really great to see you all.” He said turning back to them, “I’ve been hearing rumors about death eaters still being around. Makes everyone feel better seeing you lot out and not hiding away.” 

Harry glanced at Hermione, both of their thoughts turning to Ron in France, he had missed so much. They eventually parted ways with Neville in search of the rest of the family. Mrs. Weasley spotted them first and waved them over, exclaiming how wonderful they all looked as they reached her. She was dressed quite lovely herself in a dark blue long sleeved dress that complimented Mr. Weasley’s dark grey suit. Percy, Audrey, George and Alicia were all present as well. Not long later the announcement for dinner was made and they made their way into the great hall. Instead of the four long tables there were smaller round tables scattered throughout the space while floating candles shone from above. They all looked around, thinking of their childhood days spent in this room. 

As they sat down Hermione leaned over to whisper to Fred, “You okay?” 

He looked back at her, smiled slightly and winked, “Course, just hungry.” 

A hush fell over the room at Professor McGonagall took her spot at the podium; one Dumbledore had stood at so many times in their youth. 

“Welcome back.” She began to address the crowd. “I am proud to welcome so many of you who helped to defeat the dark lord those seven years ago. We gather here tonight to remember and honor those who we lost. I also hope that you will join me in celebrating their lives and sacrifices, knowing that they gave everything so we could be here tonight.” 

Hermione’s thoughts went to Tonks and Lupin and she glanced at Harry whose jaw was set tightly, thinking about his godson. They would be so proud to see the little man their son has grown into. 

“Tonight we remember our lost ones, but also celebrate the way we as a greater community have come together to rebuild. Not just Hogwarts but the wizarding world as a whole. We are stronger than ever before, no matter what threats still exist. It is easy to feel overwhelmed in the wake of the events of the past few years.” She paused and looked about the room, her eyes finally resting on their table, “But I ask that you not despair, and remember the words of Professor Dumbledore. ‘Happiness can be found even in the darkest places, if one only remembers to turn on the light.’ We are all lights in the darkness of the world. We only have to remember that.” 

Hermione felt Fred’s hand grip hers underneath the table at the words. She appreciated the comfort as much as he did, thinking of the darkness that had continued to infiltrate their lives. At the end of McGonagall’s speech applause erupted around the hall and Hermione could swear that the candles overhead burned brighter. As the head mistress sat down, food appeared on every table, reminiscent of how it had delighted them when they were students here. 

Conversation flowed easily as they ate, most of it centered on the grandchildren as Mr. and Mrs. Weasley gushed over their accomplishments. James apparently was now able to walk several steps on his own and babble excessively. George gave updates on his and Alicia’s son, Darrick who had been born at the end of March. He was another copy of a Weasley and Alicia grumbled about not being adequately represented in her children. 

As dinner came to an end, Professor McGonagall stood one again at the podium and asked that everyone stand. She flourished her wand dramatically and Hermione stepped backwards when their table zoomed across the floor to join the others in the corner of the hall, soft orbs of light floated over them and flower petals seemed to drift down from the lights. The warm light of the candles above them grew brighter as crystal chandeliers dropped from the ceiling. The head table shifted suddenly to leave behind a stage onto which several magicians appeared. 

Hermione smiled as she was reminded of the scene from the Yule Ball. That night had been chaotic and filled with heart break over Ron’s actions, but tonight she looked appreciatively at a different redhead, knowing that he would never make her feel that way. 

Fred bowed slightly to Hermione as the music began to play and several other couples started dancing under the sparkling light. 

“Care to dance?” He asked, grinning up at her with an offered hand. 

She smiled back at him and took his hand, stepping closer. “If I have to.” 

He pulled her close to him and put his hand on her waist. They flowed easily into the slow waltz playing around them, falling into step with the other dancers. 

“Well if I’d known you danced this well I’d have hunted you down for the Yule Ball.” Hermione said happily after he spun her out and back in. 

Fred grinned, remembering how she looked that night. “This is something that was unfortunately acquired after that fateful year. Figured I’d be able to woo more ladies with dancing then with joke telling. Who knew how wrong I would actually be.” He grinned down at her. 

They danced for a few more songs, eventually being claimed by Harry and Ginny as they swapped partners. 

“Have you been back since that day?” Hermione asked Harry as they danced. She knew that he had talked about going back several times but had never actually followed up with him. He wasn’t the most forthcoming with details from that last year together, wanting instead to look towards the future. 

Harry shook his head as he looked over her shoulder, “No. I’ve wanted to, but it never seemed to be the right thing to do.” 

Hermione nodded her understanding at his words. She had felt the same way during these past seven years. It was easy to make up excuses about why she hadn’t visited her old school, but the truth was simply that she didn’t feel comfortable going back alone. Even when she tried to return to school after the battle, the halls and corridors of the school had haunted her. This evening had provided her the perfect opportunity to face her fears, just as she knew everyone else who was here was doing. They danced for a few more minutes before separating as the song ended. She hugged her friend as they stopped moving, grateful that he was there with her. 

After a few minutes of searching she found Fred near the tables at the edge of the room; he was sitting watching the other dancers as she approached him. Taking the seat next to him she put her hand on his knee, “What are you thinking?” She asked quietly. 

He looked over at her and gave her a soft smile. “Just how lucky I am, how lucky we are. The things that we went through that last year were unthinkable for just being teenagers. We almost died, I did almost die. Yet here we are; at a ball honoring people that are gone. But we could have been those people.” He took her hand in his and squeezed. “We survived. We found each other. And I am so grateful every day that we survived, but I still feel guilty for some reason, like it was unfair that I was saved.” 

Hermione furrowed her brows at that last part. “You shouldn’t feel guilty. No one asked for the things that we went through and it’s not like your life was traded for anyone else’s. You survived Fred, and I am sure bloody happy you did. I never knew how much I needed you in my life until you were right there in front of me. We survived, and we have each other. Everything else is just static.” 

He looked at her for a few second before leaning over quickly to kiss her. It was harder and deeper than she expected for a public space, but she did not push him away. His hand went to the side of her neck to steady her head as his lips moved against hers. She could barely hear the music around them, focusing only on him. 

Fred pulled away just as quickly as he had kissed her, his eyes were dark with the same desire she felt. “Want to get out of here?” She said softly, her lips still tingling. 

He grinned at her and nodded, pulled her to standing. They slipped out of the great hall doors and walked quickly passed several couples standing in the hallway outside. Hermione laughed once they were far enough from other people to be heard. “Where are we going?” She asked breathlessly as he tugged at her hand. She was having difficulty holding the skirt of her dress up and she could feel tendrils of her hair coming loose from the braid. 

They had stopped moving at that point and Fred looked around the corridor they were standing in. “You know, I’m not sure. Doesn’t really feel right to go to one of the places I used to hook up with girls in school.” 

She elbowed his ribs at this and he smirked down at her. An idea dawned on her and she took hold of his hand again, “I think I know just the place.” 

The school was seemingly empty with all the students having returned home for the summer. None of the party goers would be in these parts of the castle and Hermione grinned as they wound through the halls before approaching a familiar doorway. 

“Really Granger? Quite scandalous.” Fred said, gaping at her as he recognized their destination. He really shouldn’t be surprised, he thought as they got closer. 

She pushed open the doors to the familiar room and walked inside. The lamps on the tables were darkened and the only light in the room was the moon shining in through the tall windows. She walked forward down the middle hallway like she had done a thousand times before, running her fingers across the familiar shelves as she went. After a few feet she turned to see Fred staring at her. The humor was gone from his face and in its place was a darker but clear emotion. Her breath caught seeing him like this and knowing how much he needed her. 

She beckoned him to follow her as she walked further into the library before turning down one of the book-lined aisles. The tables were clear except for small piles of books here and there and the air around them was completely silent. Fred caught up to her in a matter of seconds and ran his hand down her bare arm. She shivered slightly under his touch and stood on her toes to kiss him. 

His arms wrapped around her waist immediately and he pulled her closer to him. As he brought his hand to her hip, he started to hike her dress further up her leg. Thankfully the flow of the material made his work easy and he soon felt bare skin under his fingers. She leaned back and gasped slightly as his hand moved closer to her center. He kissed her neck as his fingers danced over her, making her legs feel weak underneath her. Her head turned to meet his mouth and she pushed the jacket off his shoulder before working on the numerous buttons of his shirt. 

When she finally accomplished her task, she pushed that shirt off of him, leaving his top half bare down to his waist. Pulling back, she grinned up at him, “I’ve always wanted to do this in here.” 

At those words he gripped her hips and lifted her up to sit on the table behind her. She felt the cool wood underneath her thighs and tried not to think of the poor students who would be studying here next here. She reached for his belt buckle the same time he reached further up her dress to pull her knickers down her legs. When they were both exposed he stepped closer between her legs and guided himself to her, groaning at the heat he found. She pulled his head down to hers as he started to move. He had one hand braced on the desk beside her as the other wrapped around her back to move her closer to him. 

Their breath and the quiet shifting of her dress were the only noises in the quiet library as Fred moved hard against her. They were lost in their own world and pleasure when Hermione heard a creak of a door opening coming from the entrance. She opened her eyes immediately and gripped Fred’s hip to stop his movements. He looked at her confused, apparently not having heard the noise. 

“I heard something.” She whispered, pushing him away to slide carefully off of the desk and let her dress fall back over her previously exposed legs. Fred looked around the emptiness surrounding them as he pulled his trousers back into place. Hermione was already walking slowly towards the end of the aisle before Fred could tell her to wait. He swore under his breath as he quickly followed her, pulling his shirt on and digging his want out of his pocket. Hermione was several paces in front of him and already held her want in front of her. She had reached the end of the shelves and peered quietly around the edge to look towards the entrance. 

She pulled back quickly and backed up a few steps, almost bumping into Fred who placed a hand on her back to steady her. 

“There’s someone there.” Hermione whispered to him with wide eyes. He made his way around her and also looked beyond the bookshelf. There was a tall dark figure walking slowly down the aisle towards where they were hiding. They were pausing periodically to stop and look down the aisles. Their movements seemed lazy, almost like they knew what they would eventually find. Not knowing who it was and thinking about the person outside their flat, Fred’s adrenaline began to kick in and his heart started racing. He looked back to Hermione who was watching him intently. 

He gestured with his head and they tread quietly back down the aisle to the end where the window was, knowing that it wouldn’t take long before the figure appeared at the other end. Hermione would have given anything for Harry’s invisibility cloak just now. They stood in silence for a few moments, trying to hear anything that would give away the other person’s location. They froze as the sound of the front door being pushed open echoed through the hall. 

“Hermione? Fred? Are you in here?” Came the familiar voice of Ginny. Hermione startled at the sound and looked worriedly up at Fred. The figure she saw was much too large to be Ginny so she must have just arrived. With that thought they both started quickly forward down the aisle as she didn’t know there was someone else in here. Rounding the corner, they saw the other witch standing in the corridor, hand on her hips as she saw them emerge. 

“Should have known this would be the place you’d come for a shag.” Ginny said as she shook her head at the two. 

Hermione quickly approached the other girl, taking her time to look down each aisle on her way to make sure it was empty. “Did you see them?” She asked once she reached her friend. 

Ginny looked at her, confused by her question and the urgency to her voice. “See who? What’s going on?” 

Hermione looked back at Fred who had since joined them and was discretely buttoning up his shirt. “There was someone else here. Just before you came in. We saw them walking down the main corridor, like they were looking for something.”

Ginny shook her head, looking around her in the darkened room. “No, it was just me when I got here. I didn’t see anyone else.” 

“Are you sure you saw someone?” She asked, apprehensively looking around the couple towards the back of the library. 

Both Hermione and Fred nodded. “They were right out here. I didn’t even hear anyone apparate before you came in.” 

Hermione turned back towards the dark, empty room, “We need to check.” She held out her wand in front of her, “Lumos.” The tip of her wand shone and illuminated the area in front of them. She heard the other two follow suit as they began to walk down the aisles, pointing their wants down each row of shelving. When their search came up empty the three of them turned towards each other, feeling uneasy. 

“We should probably get back.” Ginny said to the agreement of the other two, the silence in the library was beginning to make them feel uneasy. 

As they walked back down the corridor to the entrance, Fred paused at the aisle he and Hermione had been earlier. “Need to grab my jacket,” He said as he headed towards the desk. As he stood up from picking the jacket as well as Hermione’s knickers from the floor, he noticed something on the desk where Hermione had been sitting. The word was small but it was etched deeply into the wood, just as it had been on the floor of his shop. He gritted his teeth and looked back to where the others were waiting for him. He moved some books over the engraving and walked back to the other two. 

“Everything okay?” Hermione asked him when he reached them. 

He shrugged back into his jacket before plastering a fake smile across his lips, “Of course, love. How about we go back down to the party and forget about this for now. Tonight is supposed to be fun right? We can tell everyone what we saw tomorrow.” 

Hermione glanced over at Ginny who shrugged, “I think we should at least tell Professor McGonagall. They were in the school and she definitely needs to know about that.” 

They made their way back to the great hall to join the festivities finding that the music had gotten louder and more upbeat. Drinks had obviously started flowing as several people stumbled about the room when they entered. Apparently Hogwarts had gotten lax on their rules, or at least tonight they did. Harry saw them come back in and walked over. 

“Where’d you find them?” He asked Ginny when he reached them. 

“In the library.” 

“What were you guys doing in the lib…” His eyes widened slightly and he turned to Hermione, “Really? Of all the places?” 

She narrowed her eyes at him and shook her head, this was obviously not the place to be discussing her and Fred’s exploits. Especially not with knowing many of the odd places where he and Ginny had shagged. 

“Don’t even bother Harry. Ginny has told me things about your relationship that would make you blush.” She said in her best scolding tone. 

He put his hands up in surrender as Ginny grinned at him, unabashed. The two of them wandered back out the dancefloor, leaving Fred and Hermione standing by the doorway. She put her hand on Fred’s arm and gestured back towards the hall where it was quieter. The found a seat on one of the archways surrounding the courtyard. 

“We did see someone right?” She asked Fred, 

A corner of his mouth lifted as he reached out for her hand, spinning the ring around her finger. “Yeah we did. At least if we’re going crazy it’ll be together.” 

She tried to smile back at him but something still just felt wrong. “I’m really starting to reconsider this going into hiding decision.” 

He chuckled and pulled her to him, kissing her temple. “I’m with you whatever you choose Granger.” 

She leaned against him and after a few seconds felt him shift. “And I believe these are yours.” He said as he pulled her black lace undergarment out from his jacket pocket, grinning like a jackal as he did. She blushed, realizing what he was holding and snatched them from him, having completely forgotten about her discarded clothing in library. He laughed under his breath as he watched her quickly pull the lace up her legs before shifting her dress back into place. 

“You’re impossible.” She said shaking her head at him, “Surprised you gave them back though, knowing that I would have been knicker-less the rest of the evening.” 

His smile fell as he thought about the missed opportunity. She patted his cheek like a child and stood up to return to the party. The would dance for several hours before they found Professor McGonagall to relay the events of the evening to her, tactfully leaving out the exact reason they were in the library in the first place. Fred also left out the word that was scorched into the desk, having decided that it wouldn’t do any good to tell Hermione about it and worry her more. They were clearly hunting her and leaving calling cards when they were unsuccessful. He was going to provide whatever protection she needed, whenever she needed it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The idea chamber is running a little low right now so if anyone has anything they would like to be included in the story, please feel free to leave a comment :)


	27. Capture

“Hermione dear, don’t you think this would look lovely on the tables for the reception?” Mrs. Weasley asked from across the table, holding up a picture of what Hermione thought looked like a stone trophy with vines and flowers overflowing from the cup. She and Fred had taken a day off at the end of May to finalize their wedding plans with the matriarch of the family, hoping to nail down exactly what they wanted. They must have been the most indecisive couple in history with their planning so far. Hermione couldn’t quite figure out why they were taking their sweet time with the wedding. It was supposed to be this big event in their lives yet it just felt like a formality at this point.

She tried to make it seem like she was considering the gaudy decoration, knowing how much Mrs. Weasley enjoyed the planning process. “I think we were looking for something a little simpler. Those are lovely though.” She added with a smile.

So far the only thing that had been definitively decided was her dress. They had discussed location at length and when neither of them had strong preferences Mrs. Weasley immediately suggested the Burrow, which was fine with them. Today they had decided on a guest list and food, the rest of the details were debated between the couple who both wanted a smaller ceremony, and Mrs. Weasley who insisted they have a larger one. For it wasn’t everyday one of the golden trio and a Weasley get married, the older witch pointed out several times.

Fred bumped her knee from under the table and she looked up from the list of guests that Mrs. Weasley had written up. She raised her eyebrows at him and he gestured towards the door.

“Mum we’re going to take a quick break,” he said as they stood up from the table. “Maybe take a walk and discuss some of the details.”

Mrs. Weasley nodded and waved her hand at them, not even bothering to look up from the magazine she was holding. The two left the Burrow quickly and revealed in the crisp nighttime air. They had been cooped up inside with wedding magazines and drawing pads all day; Hermione had started feeling stir crazy about three hours into the planning and was grateful for the distraction.

“I’m starting to think our original idea of eloping was the way to go.” Hermione said when they had walked far enough away to ensure not being heard. Fred chuckled and put his arm around her shoulders.

“Why is this so difficult?” She asked him, “With Ginny it was like she had already planned the whole day out in her head. Every detail was a simple decision because she already knew what she wanted.”

“Well what do you want love? You really never thought about your dream wedding as a kid?” He asked her.

“Well of course I did, everyone does. But I don’t really think that the wedding I dreamed up when I was seven would be appropriate now.” She sighed and stopped walking as they reached the edge of the pond, “All I want is to be with you, I could care less about what the stupid archway looks like or which song gets played while I walked down the aisle.” She bent over to pick up a rock from the shoreline. Turning it in her fingers she examined it before tossing it into the water, seeing the ripples form on the smooth surface.

Fred turned her towards him and looked down at her, “You know eloping is still an option right? Ultimately this is for us, and we should have the opportunity to do it how we want to.”

She smiled slightly at him before shaking her head. “You know we can’t do that to your mother. Could you imagine if we went back in and cancelled all of her plans? It won’t be so bad, just have to smile and nod at this point.”

He smiled back at her and stepped forward to pull her into his arms, hearing her sigh at the contact.

“I’m still in favor of the swamp wedding but Mum seemed to nix that one pretty fast.” He said to her amusement.

\- -

It was three weeks before the big day and Hermione woke from sleep with a jolt. Scrambling over Fred’s legs she raced to the bathroom just in time to be sick. After her body stopped heaving, she rested her head against the cool porcelain of the loo and breathed through the cramping pain in her stomach. As she felt another wave of nausea come up she heard knocking at the bathroom door. Bending over the bowl she felt her mouth fill with saliva, unable to answer.

“Hermione?” Fred’s voice came from the other side. Her abrupt exit from bed had woken him and he stood there in his boxers listening as she was sick once again. He tried to door knob only to find it locked.

“Love are you okay?” In the time they had been together she hadn’t been sick once. He waited a few more minutes without a response before going back to the bedroom to retreive his wand. It was still dark outside as he glanced at the windows, he wondered briefly what time it was as he made his way back through the apartment.

“Alohamora.” He said when he got back to the bathroom, pointing his wand at the door. He heard it click and pushed open the door, wincing at the scene inside. Hermione was sitting on the floor, her cheek pressed against the cool surface of the tub that she leaned against and her eyes were closed. Her hair was matted to her temple with sweat and she was breathing slowly. He knelt down next to her and rubbed his hand up and down her arm.

“You okay?” He asked again.

She opened one eye to look at him, “Do I look okay?”

He smiled slightly at her. “Not really.”

She groaned suddenly and pushed herself over to the toilet to be sick again. With nothing left in her stomach she simply heaved for a few seconds while Fred ran his hand up and down her back as her body convulsed. When she finally felt the spasms stop she took a deep breath and leaned back against his knee.

“This is why you don’t get to cook anymore.” She said as he helped her to her feet to get to the sink.

He grinned as they both knew she was the one to make dinner last night. After helping her back to bed and brewing a cup of peppermint tea, he laid back down with her until she fell asleep. A few hours later he woke again for work and made his way quietly around the apartment getting ready. Hermione was still deep in sleep when he left so he jotted a quick note for her and left it on the counter.

When Hermione woke a few hours later she felt completely improved. Her throat was raw from throwing up but other than that, she wouldn’t even have known she had been sick this morning. She dressed quickly in shorts, a green tank top and thin knit sweater before making her way to the kitchen. She drank a large glass of water and smiled as she saw the paper with Fred’s scribbled writing on it.

_I’ll cook tonight._   
_-F_

She shook her head at the note, thinking back to their dinner last night. She went over everything she had made, trying to determine if anything had been undercooked. When she couldn’t think of anything she chalked it up to some sort of virus.

She left the flat a few minutes later and headed down to Diagon Alley to get some last minute errands done, taking the back door to avoid the chaos of the shop. Given that it was early in the day the streets were still busy with shoppers and she had to dodge the other witches and wizards as she walked. She passed Madam Malkins shop and glanced quickly at the window display. After a few more steps she stopped suddenly and backtracked, looking again at the object that had caught her eye in the display.

Her thoughts raced as she forgot about her plans to run to the bookstore. She thought back to recent months and did some mental math, feeling her heart beat start to race in her chest. As the feeling became stronger she turning quickly on the spot for a very different location, arriving with a crack outside of the hospital. A few of the nurses greeted her as she passed quickly down the halls searching for an empty exam room. When she finally found one she locked the door, bee lined to the cupboard and went to work, her hands shaking the entire time.

When she lowered her shirt several minutes later, her hands were completely still. She felt like her chest was being constricted and she tried to draw a shaky breath. She sat in the room for what seemed like hours, thinking about what had just happened, before standing and making her way back to the hallway. She felt like a zombie as her mind raced a million miles a minute.

“Hermione!” Draco exclaimed when she passed the open door of his office.

She turned at his voice and put a forced smile on her face. He furrowed his eyes a bit as he caught site of her face, sensing something was wrong. “Everything okay?” He asked.

She nodded, trying not to let any of her emotions show. “Yeah, just forgot something in my office yesterday that I needed.”

He nodded and watched as she quickly turned and made her way towards the entrance. He had been meaning to ask her about a recent case they had worked on together but seeing the urgency in her pace, decided that it could wait.

She apparated as soon as she could and found herself at the end of Diagon Alley once again. Retraced her steps from this morning she skipped the stores that she had on her list earlier and headed straight towards the joke shop. She was surprised at how long the hospital visit had taken her as it was now past curfew and she was essentially alone on the street.

As the shop came into view she saw the redhead from this morning step out of the door to adjust a sign on the outside window. Seeing him, she felt everything that had happened today come flooding at her and her lips turned upwards into a grin.

“Fred!” She yelled out and started to jog towards him.

He looked up at her voice and smiled when he saw who it was. When he checked on her earlier today she had already left the apartment so he has assumed she was feeling better, and she certainly looked better as she headed towards him. He started walking in her direction to meet her but then froze suddenly, seeing two figures appear besides her. His heart leapt to his throat at the site. “Hermione!” He yelled quickly in warning.

She too had paused in her advance seeing three people come from nowhere around him. They were all dressed in black cloaks, the same ones that had been haunting them for almost a year now. “Fred!” She called out, her voice panicked.

They were both too late in their warnings and Hermione froze as she saw the figures around Fred attack him. Her heart skipped in her chest as she saw him fall under the attacker’s blows, so focused on him she didn’t even notice the people around her until it was too late. They grabbed her arms as she tried to step forward to go to him. Her wand fell from her hand and she cried out when her right arm was wrenched behind her, forcing her to her knees. She hit out at whoever was holding her with her other arm, but a sharp blow across the side of her face caused her vision to blur. She tried to blink away the waves going across her eyes and turned dazed back towards Fred. Through her blurred vision she saw him lying on the cobblestones with his attackers reaching down towards his body. She tried to move towards him again before another hand struck her, blacking her vision completely.

\- -

As she regained consciousness, she became slowly aware of her cheek resting on something cold, hard and excessively uncomfortable. The ground underneath her body didn’t feel any better as she shifted to try and push herself up. As she got to a seated position she blinked in the darkness and rubbed the aching spot on the back of her head. She felt discombobulated in the very dim light surrounding her and she looked around, trying to figure out where she was.

She was trying to remember what had happened when she heard a groan break through the silence from a few feet away from her. Fred! She cursed herself, having forgotten about him in her confusion. She stumbled up to her feet and winced at a new pain in her ankle. Her head was clearing and as her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she could make out the form of Fred on the ground and walked carefully towards him. When she got to him she saw that he was laying on the ground on his back. He wasn’t completely awake and she knelt down next to him, gently shaking his shoulder.

When he didn’t wake she quickly surveyed his body and inhaled sharply when her gaze rested on his leg. In the dim light she could see the whiteness of the bone poking through the skin of his lower leg, the pants around it were stained dark red with blood. She took deep breaths as nausea and panic washed over her.

“Fred!” She said, turning her focus back to waking him. She cupped his face in her hands, “Please, you have to wake up.”

He stirred slightly and she felt tears slip down her cheeks, her fear gripping her. “Fred, please.” Her voice broke slightly as she stroked his forehead and cheek.

His eyes shifted slightly under his lids as her voice broke through to him. He felt her hands stroking at his face and turned into them as he would on any normal day. As he gradually became more aware, he felt the hardness beneath him instead of the soft mattress he had been expecting. He opened his eyes into the darkness and shifted slightly, feeling a searing pain from his leg that brought him fully aware.

He cried out at the pain and pushed himself up, almost hitting Hermione in the process. She fell backwards onto her backside at his sudden movement. She scrambling up again and gripped his arm as she heard him start to hyperventilate in pain. Her heart pounded in her chest as she knew he needed to calm down.

Taking his face in her hands she forced him to look at her. “Fred, you need to breath. Try to relax.” She gripped his face tightly and tried to keep her voice calm.

It was the first time he had really seen her since waking up. The pain still clouded his vision but he tried to focus on her face and take deep breaths at her command. He tried to think about what was happening, remembering the street and the two people around her, but she was here, had that even happened? Her face swam in his vision but he blinked again and it cleared.

“Hermione.” His pain was pushed to the back of his mind as he saw the tears tracks on her cheeks. “What is going on? Are you alright?”

She let out a small sob and loosed her grip on him as he spoke to her. “I don’t know. Fred, your leg, it’s broken.”

He refused to look down at the limb and grimaced as he tried to push himself into a more comfortable position. “Yeah, I noticed. What the hell happened?”

She shook her head, not being able to provide him with an answer. “I don’t know.” She said blankly as she looked around them.

“What do you mean?” He asked confused as he watched her, but then remembered his ‘dream’. He was almost afraid to think about the possibility, “The people in the street? That was real?”

When she didn’t immediately respond he clenched his jaw and reached over to put his hand on her arm, “Are you alright?” He asked, remembering his fear at seeing the people who had appeared next to her.

She nodded and brought her eyes back to him. “Yeah. I think so. I don’t remember exactly what happened, just seeing you outside of the shop. Then we’re here.” She wasn’t sure exactly where here was. It almost looked like a cave from the small amount of light that was coming in. The rocks below them were damp against her hands and she couldn’t tell exactly where the walls around them ended. She remembered suddenly what Ron had told her in his hospital room about where he and Cho were taken; it was dark and damp.

She turned back to Fred, her attention going back to his leg. She knew what needed to be done to avoid further damage to the limb. “Fred.” She waited until he looked at her, knowing that she needed his full attention for this.

“I need to set your leg.” She said, trying to keep her voice as calm as possible. “But I don’t have my wand.”

He looked at her and saw the fear in her eyes, understanding the implied meaning behind her statement. He hasn’t seen the extent of his injury but the shooting pain gave him an inclination. He trusted her, both as the woman he loved and as a healer so he gritted his teeth and gave her a short nod, knowing that she would never attempt anything she didn’t know how to do.

She leaned forward with a shaky breath and kissed his forehead before moving to the end of his legs to focus on the task that had to be done. She took off the thin sweater that she had been wearing over her tank top and tied it as tight as she could above the break. Positioning herself near his foot, she took a moment to look up at him. He was watching her carefully, focusing on her face and not her hands. Her own skin was chilled in the cool air but she could see beads of sweat glinting on Fred’s face.

Her calm resolve broke as she looked at him; she wasn’t sure she could do this. “Fred, I’m so sorry.”

He looked up at her from his concentration, having focused all his energy in the anticipation of what was going to happen. “No, love. None of this is your fault.” He gritted his teeth and nodded at her. “I trust you. Just do it.”

Her heart broke at his words and she took a deep breath before turning her focus back to her patient. Gripped his ankle tightly she pulled, watching carefully as the white bone disappeared back under his skin. When she finished setting the leg, she looked back to Fred’s face to find him pale with tears shining in his eyes. She quickly assessed the wound for excessive bleeding before sliding the sweater she had wrapped around his leg lower earlier down to cover the wound. She felt for the pulse at his ankle and breathed a sigh of relief to find that it was bounding and strong.

She moved back up towards his head, “Take some deep breaths.” She said as she stroked his cheek again, bringing his attention back to her.

He drew in a deep breath and felt faint. “I think I need to lay down.”

She moved immediately at his words and sat behind him, letting him rest back against her. She stroked his hair away from his face as he closed his eyes and took slow breaths. He focused on the ministrations of her hands; anything to take away from the burning pain in his leg. What he wouldn’t give for a whiskey right now.

They sat there in the silence like this for several minutes, knowing that they weren’t safe by any means. As Fred rested she tried to think of a logical way out of this, there was always something she could do. As nothing came to her she clenched her jaw in frustration and wiped at the tears forming in her eyes. She wished more than anything that they hadn’t gotten out of bed this morning.

She suddenly remembered exactly why they had gotten up this morning. The events prior to the attack flooded back to her and her heart raced in her chest. She needed to tell him. If it was the last thing she did, she needed to tell him.

“Fred.” She said shakily, shifting underneath him. His breathing had become more even but there were still lines of pain evident on his forehead. He opened his eyes to look up at her and she tried to wipe away the dampness on her cheeks. “Fred, this morning I went to the hospital.”

He furrowed his brows in concern, “Are you okay? Is there something wrong?” He thought about her being sick this morning and searched her face.

She shook her head quickly and bit her lip, “No, it’s nothing like that. I..It’s just that..” She faltered in her speech and took a deep breath to steady herself, “Fred, I’m pregnant.”

It wasn’t the way she wanted to tell him. They were supposed to be at his shop, laughing and freaking out together about this new development. After the potion had made her abdomen glow at the hospital she let herself come to terms with the news and all she could think about was getting to him. He was going to be so excited about the baby which made her even more excited to tell him. They were supposed to be celebrating together in the safety of the life they had built together.

“What did you say?” Fred asked carefully as he pushing up off of her lap so he could sit and face her. He wasn’t sure he had heard her correctly and his heart raced at the possibility of what she might have said.

She swallowed and took a deep breath before repeating herself, trying to find the same resolve as she did before. “I’m pregnant. I found out earlier today at the hospital and was coming to tell you when…”

“You’re pregnant.” He breathed out, interrupting her. She nodded as he broke out in a grin and reached for her, wrapping his arms about her as she started crying again. He held her tightly against him, thinking about what she had just said. He could feel her shaking against him and he pulled back to look at her tear stained face.

“We’re going to have a baby.” He said excitedly as he brushed the new tears away. She smiled slightly and nodded, gripping his forearms tightly.

Just as he was about to speak again, small orbs of bright white light sparked alive in the air above them. Both captives squinted and blinked in the offensive, sudden brightness before looking around. The cavern was just what one would expect from a cave, the space they were in was about ten feet tall and the uneven rocky bottom was glistening with water. Fred gripped Hermione’s arm as two people appeared a few feet from them. They were both wearing the now familiar black cloak and mask that they had become familiar with over the past two years.

“Oh, how sweet.” A shrill voice came from behind the mask of the shorter one as the new comers found the couple sitting together. “Lovely that you get to experience this together.”

The taller one chuckled deeply. “Hope this redhead is as fun as the last one.” He said to his companion.

“What do you want with us?” Hermione asked, trying to keep the fear from her voice. Fred gripped her arm tighter in warning but she couldn’t keep quiet.

“No love, it’s what do we want with you. Ginger here was just a happy coincidence, a nice play thing to keep us occupied. You’re the one he wants.”

Her heart raced at this and she glanced at Fred whose jaw was clenched tightly with anger. She startled as the figures advanced on them and kicked out when they grabbed her arms, hauling her to her feet.

“No! Leave her!” Fred yelled from his seat on the ground as the two grabbed Hermione. He tried to hold tight to her but she was pulled out of his reach, bumping his injured leg as they went. He grunted in pain but held his focus on her. Hermione was struggling as the taller one held her arms behind her back and she tried to dig her nails into whatever she could reach. The shorter one stepped forward and backhanded her across the face causing her to lose her footing and stumble backwards against the person holding her.

“Don’t you fucking touch her.” Fred yelled, rage filling his voice at the scene in front of him. Hermione felt dazed after the blow but tried to focus on his face, feeling her own fear rush through her body. This couldn’t be happening; this was supposed to be the happiest day of their lives. Her thoughts flitted to the tiny life growing inside her and she wanted to scream.

Her captor hauled her upright again, causing a sharp pain in her shoulder with the jerking motion. “All right lovely, we’ve got places to be.” His voice was right in her ear and she cringed at the feel of his breath on her neck.

The shorter one turned their attention back to Fred and smirked at him underneath their mask. “Don’t worry, she’ll be back in no time. Can’t promise she’ll be in one piece though.” She laughed shrilly as Hermione and the man holding her disappeared form the cave. When the other one apparated away and the lights disappeared, Fred was left staring into empty darkness.


	28. Unknown

When they disappeared Fred felt like his heart went with them. He was shaking with fear and rage as he looked frantically around in the darkness that he was left in. He couldn’t get the image of the panic in Hermione’s eyes from his head and for the only time in his life he truly wanted to hurt someone. He needed to get to her, there was no other thought in his mind.

Shifting slightly he tried to push himself up to his feet but was unsuccessful as the movement jostled his leg. He hissed in pain as he fell back to the ground and squeezed his eyes shut. The frustration, anger and fear he was feeling finally spilled over as he felt a few tears slip from his eyes.

He felt again in his pockets but still found them empty; they must have removed his wand earlier. As far as he could see in the space, there was no real entrance or exit. He thought about Ron and Cho and felt his heart race thinking about that happening to Hermione. He truly felt helpless, there was nothing he could do.

\- -

Hermione fell to the floor as the man who had been holding her released her arms. The floor under her hands was a dark tile and she slowly looked up around her. The room she was in was large and dark fabric covered the walls. Low light lit the area and she saw four other men standing at the end of the room, all dressed in black cloaks. They weren’t wearing any masks which almost made her more nervous as they weren’t concerned with hiding their identity. There were dark pieces of furniture around the room, including a large table behind where the men stood.

As one of the men stepped forward her heart sunk as she recognized Dolohov. He looked years older than he had when she had last seen him at the end of the war. His dark hair was now streaked with silver and it was pulled back in a low pony tail. His dark beady eyes squinted at her as a grin spread over his face.

“Hermione Granger, the smartest witch in a generation, golden trio, warrior against the Dark Lord. Welcome.” He bowed slightly to her as he spoke. She refused to show any emotion on her face as he watched her.

“We’ve waiting a long time for you, my dear.” He said as he continued to walk towards her. “The last time I saw you, you were helping Potter defeat the dark lord. Oh the irony.”

He had reached her at this point and was standing just a few inches from where she sat. She flinched as he bent down and reached out to stroke her dark hair. His hand came down to her cheek and his thumb brushed over her lower lip, tilting her head to look at him. She jerked her head away from his touch and he scowled at her before standing up.

He started to walk away but then crooked his fingers over his shoulder, “Bring her.”

Hermione yelped as the man that had held her earlier suddenly grabbed a handful of her hair and began to pull her with him. She reached up to his hand and tried to get her feet under her but he was moving too fast. By the time they had traveled the short distance to the table her head was splitting with pain. He released her hair, letting her drop to the floor with a thud. She had tears in her eyes that she quickly blinked away as Dolohov spoke again.

“Please. Join us.”

She looked up and saw that the four men had all sat down at the table, Dolohov was holding out his hand to the empty chair closest to her. The grin on his face made her incredibly uneasy and she shakily pulled herself up to the chair. Her mind briefly thought of Fred and she steeled herself for anything that may be coming, hoping that the focus would be on her instead of him.

They sat in silence for several seconds as the four men looked at her. She felt like a bug under a microscope and suddenly was very sympathetic towards Rita Skeeter. She had just about had enough and was about to speak when Dolohov beat her to it.

“I bet you’re wondering why you’re here.” He said, the tone to his voice suggested that he was truly enjoying himself.

When she didn’t reply he squinted his eyes at her. “I’m sure you saw the results of what happened to your friend Mr. Weasley when he refused to cooperate? Or shall we bring his brother out for added incentive?”

She narrowed her eyes at him and felt a flash of anger. But she shook her head knowing she would do anything to keep Fred out of this.

He smiled again, “Good. Now..” He tilted his head at her, gesturing her to speak.

She wanted to curse him and her fingers twitched for her wand. “Why am I here?”

“Ah, so glad you asked. See my dear, you are the key.”

She was surprised at this answer, “The key?”

“Yes. The key.” He said looking to his other companions. “I’ve heard the stories of your little group’s escapades. How Weasley and Potter both had their little melt downs over the years. It’s really been quite fascinating to study to dynamics between the three of you. But you dear girl are the glue that holds everything together. You are the motivator and the peacekeeper. The reason why Potter succeeded.”

He paused to once again grin at her. “The Dark Lord’s obsession with Potter was quite unhealthy. After all, look where it got him. He could never see the bigger picture. But us,” he gestured to the others at the table. “We understand how vital your role was. And we would very much like to repay you for your efforts, finally get you some recognition. By the time we are done with you, you’ll be the martyr of the wizarding world.”

Her mind raced at his words, knowing that as a martyr she wasn’t expected to be alive to enjoy her supposed fame. She thought about Fred and the new life they had created, and refused to even entertain the idea of having less than a normal life with them. She could already picture them as a family and nothing was going to take that away from her.

“So what are you going to do to me?” She asked, trying to keep her voice calm.

Dolohov smiled again and she already knew the answer. “We are going to kill you my dear.” One of the other men at the table chuckled at his bluntness. “Then we will deliver your body back to your darling Weasley and he can take you home. I’d say your death will be suffice enough to punish the others, knowing that they couldn’t save you. Little Potter would fall apart at your death.”

She clenched her hands so hard her nails bit into her palms. “But first!” Dolohov exclaimed excitedly. “We eat!” He snapped his fingers and the curtains in the corner of the room parted. Several people walked through with platters piled with food. A few more dark cloaked figures followed them and took the six other empty chairs at the table. Cutlery and plates appeared on the table and the food was placed in the center.

Hermione felt her stomach twist at the smell of food and she had an overwhelming urge to be sick. The others started to fill their plates but she sat back in her seat and watched, her mouth filling with saliva.

Dolohov stood at the head of the table to address the others. He raised his glass ceremoniously and looked around as the others quieted. “Friends. Thank you all for coming out to celebrate the pinnacle of our works these past years. As you can see we have a special guest with us today.” Hermione felt eyes on her but she refused to look.

“Ms. Granger has been gracious enough to join us. Her sacrifice will be for the good of all, a turning point for the wizarding world as they learn that even the strongest among them are not safe from our rule.” His voice was menacing and a few of the others were grinning madly while they nodded their agreement.

“But for now, let us revel in this glory that has been bestowed upon us. We are the higher species and today we celebrate that.”

Cheers went up from around the table as they all raised their glasses and drank. If she wasn’t so terrified Hermione would almost laugh at the absurdity of everything. Dolohov truly had everyone enraptured with his charisma and he most definitely knew it.

After a few minutes of silent eating, Dolohov noticed that she hadn’t touched anything. He furrowed his brows at her, “Ms. Granger? Nothing to your liking?” The fake concern he was showing her made her angry.

“I don’t have much of an appetite.” She said coldly.

He grinned slowly and inclined his head towards her. “Well then I guess you won’t be needed for now. Maybe young Mr. Weasley would appreciate your company.” He nodded at someone behind her and the man from before grabbed her arm and hauled her out of the chair sharply. She tripped over her feet as he pulled her behind him before they disappeared with a crack.

\- -

Fred startled as at the loud noise that filled the previously silent air. He had been able to stand on his non injured leg and was hopping along the walls of the cave trying to find any hope of getting out. His eyes, already adjusted to the dark, saw Hermione and the man from before appear close to where he stood. He saw Hermione be pushed to the ground before the man quickly disappeared with another crack.

“Hermione!” He called out unable to step towards her.

She looked around at his voice and located him farther down than where they were earlier. She breathed a sigh of relief and got to her feet, carefully making her way over the uneven surface towards him. He pulled her tightly to him when she reached him, almost knocking the breath out of her. She clung to him just as tightly, acutely aware not to bump his leg. She wanted to cry so badly but just took inhaled his familiar, comforting scent.

He pulled back suddenly and examined her, running his hands over her arms as his eyes scanned his body, “You alright? Did they hurt you?”

She shook her head. “No, I’m fine. For now at least.”

He furrowed his brows at her words, almost afraid to ask. “What do you mean?”

She looked at him, her dark eyes meeting his directly. “They are going to kill me.” She knew she couldn’t sugar coat things with him. There was no way to protect him from the truth and she was so grateful that it sounded like he would be let free when she was gone. He clenched his jaw at her words and she drew a shaky breath.

“Dolohov and about ten others are there and he told me that Voldemort’s downfall was focusing everything on Harry. They seemed to know about a lot of things that happened in school and seem to think that I’m the reason everything worked out the way it did. My death will apparently be the final message to the wizarding world. Their final ascent to dominance.”

“Well that hardly seems fair, putting all the pressure on you.” His feeble attempt to joke make her lips quirk upwards as he stroked her hair.

She looked down for a second and spoke softly now, “Fred, I’m scared. There isn’t any anger with them, it’s purely enjoyment. Like they are excited for this. I really don’t know what we are going to do. There isn’t a magic mirror this time and no one knows where we are.” She felt tears prick her eyes and looked up, trying to blink them away.

He watched her for a few seconds before pulling her close to him again, gripping her tightly. She clung to him and listened to his heart racing in his chest. She felt him kiss the top of her head, “We’re going to get out of this.” She nodded against him even knowing that they weren’t.

She helped him to the floor before continuing his previous mission to circumvent the cave. It extended back further than she had thought but she was unable to find any defects in the wall indicating a way out. Defeated she rejoined Fred and sat next to him, leaning against the wall and rested her head against his shoulder.

He reached over and gripped her hand, playing with her fingers. “I think we should buy a house.” He said suddenly.

She lifted her head to look at him. “A house?”

His fingers stroked hers lazily as he nodded, “Yeah. The flat isn’t exactly the best place to raise a baby.”

A knot formed in her throat and she nodded, turning back to look out into the darkness. “A house would be nice. With a place out back for you to work, baby proofed of course.” She said and felt him grip her hand tighter.

“Big windows on the kid’s room so they can at least observe my awesomeness.”

She chuckled picturing a smaller version of Fred with their nose pressed up against the window while their dad set off fireworks outside. “Sounds pretty wonderful.”

He turned his head to look at her, “It will be wonderful Hermione. You don’t get to give up yet, we are getting out of here. We are getting that house and we are going to be the best damn parents to this baby.”

She sighed feeling exhausted. “Okay.”

They sat together for what felt like eternity, listening to the dripping of water while they gripped each other’s hands. Hermione’s heart started to race when another crack suddenly sounded and she saw the man reappear. She turned towards Fred as he approached them, knowing that this would likely be the last time she saw him.

“Fred I love you so much. You have made me the happiest I have ever felt.” Her voice was slightly frantic as she had so many things she wanted to say to him.

He was glancing between her and the man approaching them, panic rising in him. “Hermione, no.”

She tried to smile at him, “It’s okay. You’ll be okay. Please be okay.”

She leaned forward to kiss him, not even noticing the tears slipping down her cheeks. He gripped her tightly, almost too hard.

They pulled apart shakily and he rested his forehead against hers, “I love you so much.”

She nodded and kiss him again only to be sharply pulled back as the man reached them. She was yanked to her feet as Fred lost his grip on her. She struggled against the hold on her and tried to look back at Fred.

He lost it at this point as he lunged after her, ignoring the searing pain in his leg. She called his name once before they disappeared. He looked around furiously willing them to return and then yelled into the empty space. His chest felt constricted and he struggled to breathe both in panic and pain. But the physical pain of his leg was nothing compared to the ripping he felt in his chest. He collapsed to the ground and started sobbing, still feeling the touch of her lips against his.

\- -

Hermione almost wished she didn’t know what their plan was as they reappeared in the same room as before. Not knowing that she was about to die was much more comforting than the alternative. She took several deep breaths and tried to hold herself together, wanting nothing more than to curl up in a ball on the floor. There were more people present now, at least six more. They stood in a semi-circle in the middle of the room, all staring expectantly at her. Dolohov stood in the middle of the group and motioned her forward. The man with her tried to pull her forward but she angrily ripped her arm out of his grasp, glaring at him. She held her composure and walked calmly towards Dolohov who continued to smile at her.

“Well my dear.” He said almost fondly, as she approached.

“Just get this over with.” She said sharply.

He raised his eyebrows at her and a couple of the others present chuckled. “No, Ms. Granger. I don’t think you understand. Killing you quickly would be too merciful. You have caused quite a bit of pain for us, it’s only fair that we repay the favor.”

Her eyes widened at the implication. They meant to torture her and her hands started to shake at the memory of Malfoy Mansion.

Dolohov had his wand in hand already, “Please kneel.”

She had told herself she wouldn’t beg but she couldn’t help herself. “Please don’t do this.” Her voice was barely a whisper.

He smiled softly at her before gesturing his wand downwards. She sobbed once and shakily lowered herself to the floor onto her knees. Knowing what was coming she thought of the house with Fred and let herself get lost in the fantasy of raising their family together. Nothing would distract her mind from what was about to happen, but she tried her best to picture their child and everything they would have been.

Dolohov grinned maniacally and raised his wand to point at her and said the horrid word that had haunted her dreams for the past seven years, “Crucio”

Her screams filled the room as her body spasmed. Every sweet thought she had been having disappeared and she only felt pain as she fell to the ground and curled into a ball unconsciously protecting her stomach. She could hear Dolohov’s laughter in the background as tears freely slipped from her eyes. He stopped for a minute and she breathed heavily, resting her cheek on the cool tile floor. A few seconds later it started again.

She felt like this torture went on forever, several other people present stepping forward to add their wand to the force. With Bellatrix the torture had seemed worth enduring to keep their secret. There had been anger and frustration behind her magic, but this was another kind of evil. They were punishing her, playing with her, the only goal was to make her suffer for her ‘crimes’.

She felt numb at this point and didn’t even notice when they stopped. She didn’t even have the energy to open her eyes. In the background she vaguely heard Dolohov speak and wondered if it was finally time for it to be over. There was some loud voices and she felt herself being jostled. Then there was nothing and her world went black.

\- -

Back in the cave Fred raised his head from his hands as he heard another crack of apparation. His heart leapt to his throat as he looked up expecting Hermione to be coming back towards him. It wasn't her but the three people who approached him made him want to cry again. Ron, Harry and George stood in the cave with their wands drawn, the tips lighting up the dark space. He yelled at the site of them and all three turned towards him.

"Freddie." George exclaimed as he ran towards his twin. "Merlin are you okay"

Fred shook his head as the other two joined him. "My leg."

Harry looked around the cave, "Where's Hermione?" His voice was cold and filled with anger, the same way it had been since finding out that Hermione and Fred had gone missing yesterday.

"They have her." Fred said as George bent at his leg and unwound the bloody sweater Hermione had placed earlier. "She said they were going to kill her. We need to find her." His voice was frantic and he tried to raise himself up but George pushed him down.

"Hold up. Let me get this fixed first, you're not going to be any help with a broken leg." His twin pointed his wand at the wound and muttered the only spells he knew to heal bones. He tried not to think about the fact that Hermione had been the one to teach them to him. Fred grunted as he felt his bones pull together, then he was on his feet, standing easily now.

"How did you find us?" He asked the others, having no idea himself where Hermione was at this point.

George spoke up, "It was Ron."

Ron nodded and stepped forward, "And I think I know where she is." He gestured for them all to step forward, each person finding a good grip on him as he turned on the spot and apparated.

The sound of laughing was the first thing Fred registered as they arrived in the dark room. He and the others looked around quickly and saw Hermione laying on her side in the middle of the room with several cloaked figures surrounding her. Dolohov stood closer to her and grinned as he pointed his wand at her as the dark haired witch curled into herself on the floor and cried out as the next wave of pain washed over her.

The rage that Fred felt was like nothing he had ever experienced before. "No!" He yelled out, pulling the startled attention of the figures off of Hermione and to them. He didn't have a wand but lunged forward regardless, thinking only of getting to Hermione.

Several of the death eaters had reacted at this point and pulled out their wands. Flashing light came up around him but he barely noticed as he ran directly into Dolohov and shoved him to the ground, taking him completely off guard with his non magical attack. Fred scrambled on top of the man and hit him as hard as he could in the face, feeling the satisfying crunch under his fist. He hit him a few more times, pure anger and fear driving his actions as they took full control of the situation. Dolohov bucked suddenly and lashed out with his wand, sending Fred flying backward onto the floor. The two men scrambled to their feet and Dolohov grinned at Fred, showing off two missing teeth.

"You're too late." He said and laughed.

Fred looked quickly to Hermione, lying on the ground a few feet from where they stood. In his brief glance he saw that she wasn't moving and her face was void of color. Other order members must have shown up as the rest of the death eaters seemed to be occupied enough to not assist Dolohov. 

"She was quite lovely, wasn't she." Dolohov said again as he raised his wand towards Fred. "Such a waste."

Fred clenched his jaw and waited for the imminent strike of a curse. Just as he was about to lunge towards the man, a flash of dark red went over his shoulder and hit Dolohov squarely in the chest, sending him stumbling backwards before collapsing in a heap on the floor. Fred stared in shock at the fallen body, then whipped around to seen Ron holding his wand aloft, breathing heavily. His brother nodded at him before turning back to finish off the death eater he had been dueling.

Fred fell to the ground next to Hermione and turned her onto her back. She didn't stir under his touch and he felt at her neck for a pulse>He breathed a sigh of relief when he found one but it was weak and slow under his fingertips. Cursing he scooped her easily up, hating how limp and cold she felt in his arms. He saw Bill standing a few feet from him as another death eater fell. Rushing forward with Hermione in his arms he made his way to his eldest brother.

"We need to get her out of here." He said loudly over the noise.

Bill glanced down at Hermione and nodded sharply, grabbing onto them both before apparating.

The silence of the front entrance to St. Mungos was a sharp contrast to the chaos they had just left. There were a few patients in the lobby who looked up with shock at their sudden appearance.

"We need help!" Bill yelled out as several nurses jumped up at their arrival. rushing forward with wands already drawn.

"Weasley, what is..?" Draco Malfoy had stuck his head out of an exam room at the noise and saw the two red heads. He paused in his step as he saw the witch in Fred's arms before rushing forward.

"It's Hermione. She was tortured." Fred said pleadingly, shifting her slightly in his arms. Draco quickly conjured a stretcher just as several nurses and another healer crowded around them.

Draco gestured for Fred to place Hermione on the stretcher before gesturing at his team to go. They walked quickly away with Hermione floating between them and Fred startled at their sudden movements. The other healer stayed back with him.

"Mr. Weasley you need to be looked over." He said, trying to steer him in a different direction.  

Fred was already brushing past him to stay with Hermione and the rest, refusing to let her out of his sight. They had reached a set of double doors which he tried to follow them through but Draco stepped away from his position and stopped him.

"You can't come back here." His voice was cool and collected, completely in healer mode.

Fred glared at him and tried to step past him, "I'm not leaving her."

Draco all but shoved Fred back as he tried to push pass him. “You have to. This is our job, Hermione’s job.” He emphasized every work, making sure that Fred heard him. “She helps people every day and now you need to let us help her.”

Fred looked at Draco at this and thought about all of the times Hermione had talked about how horrible it must be for family members when they couldn't be with the patients, and how terrible she felt making them stay behind. He knew that his presence with her now wouldn't do her any good and would only impede the medical staff. Taking a step back he nodded at Draco who put his hand on Fred's arm before turning quickly to go back to Hermione. Fred remembered something then, something he had almost forgotten in the chaos of everything.

"Wait!" He called out, causing Draco to turn back to him.

"Weasley we need to go." He said harshly as he stepped back toward the redhead.

Fred nodded his head, "I know. She's pregnant thought. You need to know that."

Draco looked surprised at this news about his classmate and colleague. He had just seen her two days ago and she hadn't said anything to him, and they were good enough friends to where she would have. He remembered her flustered appearance though and suddenly realized what she had been doing here on her day off.

He nodded at Fred, "Alright."

They left through the doors and continued down the hall to do their work, leaving Fred standing alone in the hall. And for the second time today, he felt as if his heart went with them.

The older healer was back at his arm again, "Mr. Weasley. You should be examined. Your brother has filled us in on what happened and we need to make sure that leg is set properly."

Fred felt numb as he was brought to an exam room to be fussed over by the medical staff. He allowed them to do what they needed to but his thoughts were always on Hermione, flashes of memories of the time they had spent together raced through his brain. He thought of her sitting at his kitchen table laughing with George over her coffee. The feel of her nestled against him on her cough when all he wanted to do was tell her how he felt. That night on the beach... He stayed with that moment of them, thinking back to how she had looked in the moonlight, how carefree they had been. How safe...


	29. Closure

He didn’t leave her side for the next three days. After he had been cleared by the healer and reunited with his family, they showed him to Hermione’s room. He faltered at the site of her, almost thinking they had brought them to the wrong room. She seemed so small and vulnerable laying on the hospital bed, nothing like the strong, vibrant woman he knew. Her skin was still pale but better than it had been when he had seen her on the floor of that awful place. There were dark circles under her eyes and she felt colder than usual under his touch. 

The other healers assured him that this was a normal response for her body to have after what it had been through. He didn’t even want to think about what had happened to her, how badly they must have hurt her. So he stayed with her, never leaving her side. He remembered how she told him after they first started dating that she didn’t have nightmares when he was around. As far as he knew, she hadn’t had a nightmare in almost a year. So he stayed to ward off the fear that she was so vulnerable to now. 

The other family members visited periodically over the next few days, making sure that there was no change with Hermione and to see if Fred was all right. He tried to act like his usual self around them, but he felt like a piece of him was asleep with Hermione, unable to make his usual jokes. It was mindless, the waiting, but there was nowhere else he would rather be. 

\- -

The first thing she noticed were the cool scent of lilacs that immediately brought her back to her childhood bedroom with the sweet smelling flowers below her window. She also smelled cinnamon. As she went to roll over in her bed she found it much firmer than the one she remembered. She was also sore, her entire body ached like she had just been running all day. 

As she opened her eyes, she slowly became aware that she was not in fact in her own purple walled bedroom at home. Blinking a few time her eyes adjusted to the low light in the room and she started to come to her senses. She was obviously at St. Mungos, in a room similar to many others she had treated patients in countless times before. Had she fallen asleep on rounds? Why was she in this bed? A quick glance down showed that she was wearing the soft pajamas they usually reserved for patients. 

She tried to sleepily shift up in the bed but found that she didn’t have the strength to do so. Collapsing back to the bed she turned her head to the side and saw the light purple flowers sitting in a vase on the bedside table. The cheery sight made her smile slightly but then she jumped as she heard a soft snore from her other side. She turned her head quickly and saw a head of red hair resting on the bed beside her. Her heart rammed into her chest as recent events flooded back to her. Shakily she reached out to touch the man lying beside her, hoping that he was real and not one of the nightmares she had gone through. 

She felt so weak as she let her hand fall over Fred’s hair next to her. At her touch he woke from his light sleep and lifted his head suddenly, bleary eyes looked back at her. They quickly cleared seeing that she was awake and he spoke with a soft voice, “Hermione?” 

“Hi.” She said softly. Her throat felt raw after her screaming and lack of use. 

That was all it took as he launched himself at her, gathering her in his arms as he held on like a lifeline. She gasped at the sudden attack and tried to make her arms work to hug him back. They clung to each other, each remembering the fear they had shared; neither thinking they would ever see each other again. When Fred released her she saw that he had been crying and she reached up to touch his cheek wiping at the wetness she found there. He turned his face into her hand and closed his eyes. 

After a few seconds he laughed softly and looked down at her. “Hi, love.” He shook his head and bent down to kiss her, his lips salty against her own. 

When they parted Hermione fell back onto her pillow, still feeling drained of all energy. Fred noticed right away and stood up, “Should I get a healer?” He asked somewhat fearfully. She was still pale in her coloring and seemed so weak as she closed her eyes and took deep breathes. He was familiar with every healer who worked in the building at this point after they had all been by to check on their colleague. 

He started to head to the door but Hermione shook her head and patted the bed next to her. Torn between wanting to find a professional and trusting her, he begrudgingly went to her and laid down on the open space. They both laid on their sides to face each other, he wrapped his arms around her as she tucked herself against him. After everything they had gone through she felt small and vulnerable in his arms, but the spark of her was glowing brightly now that she was awake. 

After a few moments she sighed and opened her eyes to look at him, “What happened?” 

He paused before answering, “What do you last remember?” He thought of Ron and Cho after their attack and how they didn’t remember anything. While he wouldn’t keep anything from her, he would only tell her things if she asked. 

She thought for a second and he saw something flit across her eyes that told him exactly what she remembered. He clenched his jaw at the anger he felt at what she had gone through and he gripped her tighter. “We got out.” He said simply. 

Her brows furrowed, “Yes, but how?” They were supposed to have died that night; no one knew where they were, and no one was coming for them. She had all but given up when they brought her back to that room. 

He smiled slightly, “Ron.” He could see the confusion in her eyes so launched into his retelling of their rescue. How as soon as George noticed they were missing, he and the rest of the family had gathered, as well as several ministry members. It was actually Harry who had thought of the idea that had saved them. They had made their way to France within hours to find and collect Ron, knowing that as soon as he heard what had happened to his best friend and brother, he would come out of hiding to help. 

It was almost a combination of hypnotism and the pensieve that saved their lives. In the year and a half that Ron had been gone he had started to remember certain things about his attack, the cave where they were kept, and the room where they were tortured. He never thought that those details would mean anything to them before Harry showed up. 

They had worked together to force Ron to remember what had happened to him, which was something he was more than happy to do if it meant saving Hermione and Fred’s lives. When the details were clear they had been able to follow Ron through apparation to where they found Fred, and then Hermione. 

Hermione watched Fred’s face as he recounted the story, each detail sounding like something out of a dream as all she remembered was the overwhelming pain and fear. When he finished talking they sat in silence for a few seconds, letting the details sink in. 

“Your leg?” She said suddenly, pulling back and looking down. When she had left him the limb was still broken but he had obviously just been standing on it. She knew the kind of damage that could happen with a wound like that going untreated. And to be honest, she wasn’t exactly sure how much time had passed since they were first taken. 

Fred chuckled, “It’s fine. Seems you taught George pretty well.” 

She sighed in relief and then smiled slightly, thinking back to the day George had broken three of his fingers and then had to make a visit with her at the hospital. He had begged her to just teach him the spells so he didn’t have to keep coming by and she gladly complied, having been his third visit that month. 

And then the subject that she had been pushing deep behind everything else surfaced. She was terrified to ask the question, knowing everything that her body had gone through. 

Her voice was shaky and quiet as she spoke again, and she pushed down every emotion she had, wanting only the truth. “Fred, what about..?” She couldn’t even bring herself to finish the question. 

Fred saw her hesitation and grinned happily, knowing exactly what she was asking about. He nodding as he bent down to kiss her again. “Perfectly healthy and safe. Just like its parents.” 

She nodded and then broke down, letting the relief of his words wash over her. The tears that had been threatening to form now spilled freely over her cheeks as she sobbed against his chest. They hadn’t even gotten the chance to celebrate this new life together and now, after everything that had happened, they finally could. They could make plans and come up with names and paint nurseries; things that had only been in her imagination until now. 

She pulled back and laughed shakily, knowing she must look a sight, “We’re going to have a baby.” 

He slowly grinned back at her and kissed her forehead. “Well technically, you’re going to have a baby. But I’ll be there for moral support and the snacks.” 

They held each other and laughed and cried until they both fell asleep in exhaustion. And this was how the rest of the family found them, wrapped in each other’s arms on the small bed. When they finally woke again and Hermione was properly mobbed by the family, there was one person she sought out above the rest. When Ron got to her she clung to him, crying softly into his shoulder as the rest of the family watched them tearfully. 

\- - 

She was released from the hospital two days later after being thoroughly checked over by multiple different healers. The time spent confined to a bed was making her stir crazy now that her strength had returned. Fred had refused several times to break her out early, ignoring her protests that she herself was a healer and could perfectly well take care of herself. 

“I don’t care if I ever see this place again.” She said as they finally made their way out of the building. The dirty look she flung back at the stone grey walls would have incinerated it. 

Fred chucked as he walked beside her, “That’ll be a little difficult seeing as how you work there. You could always come back to the shop, I’m sure George would appreciate having an in house healer.” 

“Honestly that is not your worst idea.” She said to his surprise. Her work was everything to her and he knew that she would never give it up. 

As they reached the apparation spot he took her hand and turned on the spot, bringing them to land in their familiar apartment. Hermione looked around and sighed when they arrived, feeling safe at last. And also feeling incredibly nauseous. Fred startled as she suddenly sprinted past him to the bathroom to be sick. He followed her quickly in concern and gathered her hair back as she leaned over the toilet. 

“Only your kid would give me this much trouble.” She finally said after he sat down on the bathroom floor with her and leaned against the wall. He handed her the glass of water he had grabbed on his way down. 

“They’re just learning early what fun it is to annoy you.” Fred said as he ran his hand up and down her leg. “How about dinner?” He asked and then flinched under the piercing gaze she gave him. 

The ended up curled up on the couch together, watching the television while they munched on the colorful cereal that was stocked in the cupboard. Fred had almost brought her back to the hospital when she had requested that particular kind, figuring they gave him back the wrong person. When she finally fell asleep against him he carried her back to their bedroom, struggling to find sleep himself. 

While it was a relief being back at home, he couldn’t stop replaying certain moments in his mind. She had been so sure she was going to die, and to be honest, so had he. When he was sitting along in that cave after she was taken he was sure he would never see her again. He rolled slightly and pulled her closer to him in the bed, nestling into her neck as she sighed in her sleep. 

The next morning Fred work with a start and panicked as he found himself alone in the bed. Hermione’s side was empty and he flung back the covers and all but ran out of the room. He breathed a sigh of relief when he made it to the kitchen and saw her sitting at the counter. Padding up behind her, he bent and kissed the top of her hair, which was messily braided down her back. 

She smiled at him as he rounded the island to the icebox. “Sleep well?” She asked, knowing that he hadn’t. He had been tossing and turning all night, waking her up with every movement. 

He turned to look at her and smiled sleepily, “Like a baby.” 

She raised her eyebrows. “Well if the amount of times I got sick this morning says anything than I’m beginning to learn babies do not sleep well.” 

He crossed back to her and spun her on her stool so she was facing him. To her amusement he dropped to his knees in front of her and leaned in close to her stomach. The low tone of his voice was stern but filled with joy at the same time. “Now listen here kid. This is your dad speaking. Mum’s had a bit of a rough time lately and we would both appreciate it if you take it easy for a bit. Got it? Good.” 

She laughed as he leaned forward and planted a kiss on her still flat abdomen. “You think it’ll work?” 

He grinned up at her, “Course. Kids love me.” 

They both jumped as a tapping sound came from the kitchen window. A large brown owl sat just outside and Fred stood to open the glass, not recognizing this particular bird. It held out its leg patiently while he untied the letter that was positioned there. After handing over several treats the bird hooted happily and flew off, disappearing into the daylight. 

Fred frowned as he looked over the letter, addressed to both him and Hermione from the Ministry. She watched him carefully as he broke the seal and read over the parchment, his face becoming darker the further his eyes got. 

“What is it?” She asked when her curiosity could no longer be contained. 

He didn’t even look up at her, finding it difficult to meet her eyes. “It’s him.” The anger in his voice surprised him, he had been trying to keep everything together since she woke up in the hospital. 

Hermione knew immediately who ‘him’ was referring to. The Minister had stopped by while they were in the hospital to inform them that Dolohov and several of his followers had been captured and were awaiting trial at the ministry. Fred came to stand by her and handed her the letter, putting his hand on her shoulder as she read. 

To Ms. Hermione Jean Granger and Mr. Frederick Gideon Weasley  
Your presence is hereby requested to stand as witnesses in the trial against the accused, Antonin Dolohov.   
This is a mandatory summoning, no excuses will be granted. Please arrive by 8 o’clock tomorrow morning at the Ministry of Magic, Department of Wizarding Law. 

It was signed with a name that neither of them recognized. She sighed and set the letter down on the counter on top of the Prophet which she had been reading. 

“You okay?” Fred asked from beside her. 

She nodded and looked up at him, “Honestly yes. Or at least as okay as I can be. It may sound silly but I don’t feel angry or scared about what happened.” He furrowed his brows as she continued. “All I thought about when we were there was having a normal life with you. Raising this baby and being together. Even when I truly believed that I was going to die, that’s all I could think about.” 

She stood and wrapped her arms around his neck, “We survived when we weren’t supposed to. And there is no way that I am going to waste another second of my time with you being angry.” 

He nodded and rested his forehead against hers. “Besides,” she said happily. “We’ve only got so much time before we end up as walking zombies like Ginny and Harry so we’d better enjoy it.” 

She smiled when she saw his lips quirk upwards. She knew that he had been putting on a front for her since the hospital and she would do anything to get him to open up to her. But not everything was that easy, and he needed his time as well. She stood on her toes to kiss him lightly before tugging him back to the bedroom with her. 

Their touches were soft and slow, this was the first time being together since their attack. They revealed in each other’s bodies as they moved together. Both of them took their time memorizing the lines and feel of their partner. Having been through a moment where you thought you were going to lose everything truly makes one appreciate the things they have. As they came together, Fred clung to her, feeling his own emotions so close to the surface he thought that he might break. But he couldn’t; he needed to be there for her right now. 

\- - 

They woke early the next day and dressed in silence, each consumed by their own thoughts of what was going to happen today. When they arrived at the Ministry they were greeted by Harry, Ginny, Ron and, surprisingly Cho, who now had a sparkling sapphire ring on her left hand. Hermione noticed this right away and eagerly congratulated the couple as they revealed they had wed the summer after going into hiding. She smirked at Fred knowing that it meant she had won the bet but he only stuck his tongue out at her. 

A short, pudgy wizard calling their names brought them out of their merriment as they remembered what they were really here for. The dark halls that they were led down were reminiscent of the ones that Hermione, Harry and Ron had run through when they were last at the Ministry together. They were shown a waiting room with several chairs in which they sat down in. They were to be called in individually, the pudgy man told them, to give their testimony against the defendant. 

Harry went first as his was the easiest, having never been attacked directly by Dolohov but able to provide collaborating details. Then Ron and Cho went one after the other, Hermione could see how nervous they both were when they left the room. It must have been over an hour for their testimonies and Fred was beginning to feel some anxiety himself. Hermione had gotten up to pace twenty minutes ago and watching her go back and forth was making his head hurt. 

“Sit down Granger. You’re making me nervous.” He said with a smile at her approaching figure. 

She put her hands on her hips and looked around. “I just don’t understand what is taking so long. All we have to do is tell our story and be done, that’s how this was supposed to work.” She came to sit on the chair next to him and he tugged on her legs, spinning her to face him. She huffed as he took her hands in his. 

“We’ll be okay.” He said as his thumb ran over her knuckles, spinning her ring like he had taken to doing lately. 

At that moment the door opened again and this time Kingsley stepped out to their surprise. Hermione was on her feet in an instant and stepped over to the tall man. 

“What’s going on?” She asked as Fred came up behind her. 

The look on the older wizard’s face was concerning as his brows were furrowed while he surveyed the two of them. “There has been a development,” he started. “Dolohov says that he is willing to give up names and locations of his followers. He only asks for one thing in return.” 

Fred shook his head, “No. You cannot let him go free Kingsley. He tried to kill us.” 

Kingsley shook his head and looked sternly at Fred. “His request wasn’t his freedom. It was you.” At this he turned his gaze to Hermione who looked startled. “He wants ten minutes alone with you. He says that he has things he wishes to discuss with you, Hermione. Obviously he will be restrained during this time and if you agree to it, you are guaranteed to be perfectly safe.” 

This was surprising to everyone in the room when Dolohov had made his announcement. They had expected him to ask for outlandish things given his demeanor, but his request seemed simple enough to grant. They only needed the agreement of the requested witch. 

“No.” Fred said from beside her. “That is not going to happen.”

“Fred.” Hermione said turning towards him. 

“No, Hermione. He tortured you. His plan was to kill you and he would have gladly done so. You can’t be alone with him.” 

“But nothing could happen. Kingsley said that it would be safe. And a few minutes of my time for perhaps a guaranteed life without fear is quite worth it. They could end this whole group and we would be able be safe, to raise our child safely.” Hermione’s eyes were pleading as she looked at him. 

He clenched and unclenched his jaw at her words. The thought of her being alone with that man made his blood boil. He honestly didn’t care at the moment how many other people were out there, nothing seemed to be worth going through this again. 

Hermione stepped closer to him and hugged him. “I’m going to do this.” She said against his chest as he held her tightly. 

Pulling back she looked at him for a second before turning and nodding to Kingsley. The Minister nodded before escorting her out of the room, leaving Fred to stare after them. As they walked down the hallway it gradually got darker, the shiny tile changing to a deep grey bricks. Hermione was vaguely reminded of the picture she had seen of Azkaban when they reached a large heavy door. Kingsley pushed it open to reveal a large room, empty except for a figure sitting in a chair at the middle. Her heart beat faster as she stepped around Kingsley. 

The maniacal smile on the man’s face as he saw her approach, made Hermione’s blood run cold. His hands and feet were chained tightly to his chair and Hermione could see the slight shimmer of protection spells around him. She stopped just a few feet from him and waited for him to speak. He took his time looking her over, regarding her fondly like an old friend. 

“Ah, Ms. Granger. You honor me with your presence.” He said at last. 

She kept silent, not giving him any satisfaction by replying. The longer she was able to stand there in silence, the shorter his requested time became. He never demanded that she HAD to speak to him, just that she had to be there. He clicked his tongue at her and tilted his head in disappointment. 

“And how is your dear friend Ronald these days? He was quite the mess when we last saw him. I do hope he is recovering well.” The gleam was back in his eye and Hermione knew he was trying to get a rise out of her. 

“He’s wonderful. You actually have him to thank for you being here.” She kept her voice calm and cool. She could see Dolohov’s eyes twitch. 

“Yes well. That’ll teach me to play with my food, next time.” 

She scoffed and took another step forward, tilting her head at him. “Haven’t you heard? There won’t be a next time for you. You are going away for the rest of your life.”

He grinned at her, the same grin that had been on his face when he had tortured her. The time must be coming to an end. Hermione thought wishfully, her skin was beginning to crawl. 

“Many things can change in that amount of time, my dear. We shall see what happens.” A small bell rang at the end of his words and Hermione let out a breath of relief. She took one last look at the man who had been haunting them for years and then turned to leave. She had taken a few steps when Dolohov’s voice rang out. 

“Don’t forget me Hermione Granger! Because I won’t forget you. When you at last feel safe in your home with that little baby and its blood traitor father, that is when we will find you. I look forward to seeing your happiness just as much as I look forward to taking it away.” 

Her blood boiled at the mention of her family and she whipped around. The sneer that formed on Dolohov’s face became larger as she strode towards him, through the protection shields and bent down so that her face was level with his. She could vaguely hear the alarms going off, indicating that someone had passed the shields but she focused on him. 

“I will be happy. I will live a long, wonderful life with my family. But you will never be anything more than what you are right now, a prisoner who couldn’t help his master defeat a bunch of teenagers. And then didn’t even have the guts to kill me when you had the chance. I will be happy and I hope you think about that every day that you sit in your cell in Azkaban.”

The sneer on his face turned into a snarl and she stood to leave. “You enjoy your time with that little baby Granger, for it won’t last long.” He all but shouted at her. 

At the second mention of her child she clenched her jaw together and punched him in the face. Her hand stung at the contact but she barely noticed as satisfaction filled her seeing blood start to trickle from Dolohov’s lip. He looked stunned at her actions and gaped up at her with wide eyes. 

She gripped his aching jaw in her hands forcing him to meet her eyes, “You already know the lengths I will go to protect those that I love. If you ever threaten me or my family again, I will kill you. Maybe when YOU least expect it. Just when you think you’re safe.” 

Two Aurors had entered the room at this point and pulled Hermione back from Dolohov. She yanked her arms out of the grasps and gave them a cool look before leading herself from the room. Kingsley nodded at her as she came out and they made her way back through the winding hallways with the alarm still blaring overhead. 

Fred was all but in a panic since he had heard the wards activated somewhere in the building. His mind was spinning with the worst ideas when Hermione and Kingsley entered the room. It had only been fifteen minutes since they had left but it felt like eternity. He stood quickly and Hermione bee lined towards him, wrapping her arms about his waist and gripped him tightly. He could feel that she was trembling slightly and he looked over her head at Kingsley who was watching them. 

Fred pulled back from Hermione and cupped her face in his hands. Her eyes were clear but there was a trace of fear and anger there that made his heart clench. “All you alright?” He asked. 

She nodded, “I’m perfectly fine.”

Kingsley snorted behind him and said his favorite muggle phrase, “You should see the other guy.” 

Hermione’s lips quirked upwards and she let her head drop with a small laugh. Fred looked between the two with confusion. “I may have overreacted.” Hermione said as she began to examine her right hand, already seeing the bruising form. 

“Did you?” He asked as he watched her heal her hand that looked suspiciously like his did after many fights with his brothers. 

She looked up at him, “He threatened us.” She said with a shrug. 

He laughed slightly and wrapped his arms about her again. She was definitely a firecracker, his firecracker. 

Hermione turned in his arms to look at Kingsley, “Can we go?” 

He nodded, knowing that they had everything they needed to finish the trial against Dolohov. She and Fred made their way back to the front entrance of the Ministry and saw the rest of the group waiting for them. Hermione paused suddenly in her step and grabbed Fred’s hand making him turn to her in question. 

“Let’s get married.” She said suddenly, her large eyes looking up to him. 

He chuckled, “We are getting married, love. Or did you forget my very extravagant proposal.” He held up the left hand that he was holding. 

She smiled and shook her head, “No, I mean today. Right now.” 

He raised his eyebrows at her and her grin widened. “Fred Weasley, you and I both know that it was never about the wedding for us. I want to marry you. And I could care less about the archway or the flowers, I just want you.” 

He smiled and slowly nodded back at her, considering the idea. “I think that’s the best idea you’ve ever had.” He laughed as Hermione launched herself at him to kiss him. He wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her off the floor, causing quite a lot of stares from the workers bustling by them. They separated with a laugh and went to join the rest of the group who looked at them in question. 

“We’re getting married.” Fred announced with a grin at Hermione. 

The shocked looks on the rest of the group’s faces quickly disappeared into smiles of delight and Ginny clapped her hands and squealed. 

“Oh, wonderful! Right now at the Ministry? I’m sure they have some sort of clerk available.” The red headed witch launched into a tangent that would make her mother proud. 

Hermione shook her head as an idea struck her. “No, not here." She turned to Fred with a smile, "But I think I know the perfect place.”


	30. Forever

Several hours later Hermione was staring at herself in a small dresser mirror. They had gathered the family as quickly as they could and Ginny had pulled Hermione away from the crowd to get ready. She claimed that there was no way Hermione was going to get married looking anything less than a bride. She and Fred could have gotten married in the grungiest clothes possible and Hermione didn’t think she would have cared. But under Ginny’s ministrations she truly did look the part.

Her face was bare and simple, just like she preferred, but the rosiness of her excitement was eliciting a glow that no makeup could ever achieve. Her eyes seemed warmer than usual as they looked back at her reflection. Fleur had stepped in to do Hermione’s hair, otherwise Ginny would have insisted in one of her elaborate updos. Her long dark hair was softly pulled up at the nape of her neck in a loose bun, small wisps of hair had been pulled loose and were reverting back to their curled state. It was a simple style but the effect was lovely and she looked so much like herself.

Movement in the corner of the mirror caught her eye and she looked up to meet Ginny’s eyes. The red head smiled at her and stepped further into the room, carrying the garment bag she had gone to fetch with her.

“Oh, I almost forgot.” Hermione said as she stood and went to meet her friend. In their excitement she hadn’t even thought about the dress that she had purchased months ago. It was still just as perfect, she thought as they pulled the flowy fabric out. It slid over Hermione’s skin like water as Ginny helped her with the zip. She turned to take in her final appearance in the small mirror and grinned brightly. No amount of planning with Mrs. Weasley and the bridal magazines could have made this day any more perfect.

“Fred is going to swoon when he sees you.” Ginny said as she came to stand by her. She was dressed herself in a simple light blue-grey dress that she had grabbed from her closet. Hermione turned to hug her soon to be sister-in-law and laughed slightly.

“Are you ready?” Ginny asked with a smile as she pulled away. Hermione nodded and the two girls made their way down the stairs.

The day had continued to be cloudy but the beginnings of the setting sun lit up the sky in an ethereal brightness, the colors swirling together behind the clouds like water colors. This truly had been her best idea ever, Hermione thought as she and Ginny walked down the beach in front of shell cottage. This place had been the beginning of their relationship, every major moment together had been shared here, and she couldn’t think of a better place to marry the man she loved.

There was a small group of people waiting near the water, the majority of them redheads, all of them family. She could see Fred closest to the water and her face broke out in a grin. He had had George stop by their flat for some new clothing and he looked quite handsome in the grey slacks and white button-up shirt that he had worn their first night in Greece. His mother must have gotten to him at some point as Hermione noted his freshly trimmed hair and beard. But the smile that broke out on his face when he saw her was what she loved most.

As they got closer the group parted in sort of an aisle as they saw Hermione coming. She could already see Mrs. Weasley wiping at the tears on her face as she stood near her husband. Harry and Ron were there and Hermione paused when she reached them, pulling them both in for a hard hug. The three of them clung together for a few seconds before pulling away with a laugh. They had come so far together, gone through so many things, and Hermione couldn’t wish for anything more than to have her best friends here with her today.

She felt a small tug on her skirt and looked down at Victorie and Roxanne standing next to her. Smiling she bent down to her soon to be nieces and kissed each of them on the cheek making them giggle. Victorie pulled her hand out from behind her back and held out a small bouquet of wildflowers she had picked from the beachside. Hermione smiled brightly and took the offered flowers, hugging the little girl.

As she stood, she knew that she was at last ready. She looked up towards the front of the group again and smiled at Fred as she made her way to him.

“Hi, love.” He said as she reached him, taking her free hand in his.

She smiled up at the familiar greeting, “Hi.”

It was Charlie, surprisingly, who stepped forward to officiate the ceremony. He looked between the two people and laughed before addressing the rest of the family. “Well now that the bride and groom have been properly introduced, we can get started.”

Hermione rolled her eyes at the shorter redhead and he grinned back at her. “I think we were all surprised when these two ended up with each other. I mean a studious man like Fred here being with trouble maker, Hermione, it wasn’t exactly a match made in heaven.”

Charlie grinned as his mother glared at him while the rest of the group chuckled. “But it was though, wasn’t it? A surprise to us all but never have two people seemed to fit better together. I’ve never seen a couple laugh together as much as you two do. And I think we can all agree that never have two people fiercely loved and protected each other.”

Hermione tried to force the emotions down in her throat at his words and she stared up at Fred. He gave her a soft smile and squeezed her hand tightly.

“Now I know this was all short noticed but I’m assuming you have some things you’d like to say?” Charlie asked the two standing in front of him. Hermione startled, not even thinking about the vows that were normally exchanged. She hadn’t thought of anything and felt suddenly flustered. But then Fred started to talk and everything fell into place.

“Hermione, you have been my best friend, my confidant and my greatest source of worry.” She smiled at this. “You have shown me the true meaning of mischief and I promise to be your partner in crime in all things. I promise to be your best friend, your anchor in whatever storm we go through. You are everything to me and I promise to love you and this baby, unconditionally for the rest of our lives.”

She felt tears well up in her eyes but then laughed as several of the group members gasped as they processed Fred’s words. They hadn’t told anyone about the pregnancy since the attack and Hermione couldn’t think of a better time to announce their news. They both turned with a mischievous grin to the onlookers and watched as Mrs. Weasley’s eyes widened, realizing the news to be true. She started crying and had to be held back by Mr. Weasley to keep her from attacking the couple with hugs.

As everyone settled down and was quiet again, Hermione turned back to look at Fred with a wide grin on her face. “Fred, you have surprised me, distracted me and captivated me like no one else ever has. I know us together was the last thing anyone would have expected, but being with you is like coming home. In you I’ve found love and acceptance and the most fun I have ever had. You will be the best father and I cannot wait to see what else our life together has in store. I love you, and that is the beginning and end of everything for me.”

Fred didn’t even wait for the official announcement, he swooped down and covered Hermione’s lips with his own. She smiled against him and kissed him back her hands reaching up around his neck.

“Well you can kiss the bride I guess.” Charlie said with a laugh from beside them. The couple pulled apart, grinning at each other. The onlookers laughed as Fred gestured to his older brother to continue. Charlie rolled his eyes and looked between the two, “I don’t suppose you’ve got any rings have you?”

For the second time in their wedding Hermione laughed at their lack of planning. “I’ve got it!” They turned with a surprise at George’s outburst and watched in confusion as he scoured the sand below him until he found what he was looking for. Stepping forward in triumph he held out two small shells in his hand.

Hermione furrowed her brows in confusion, “I don’t think those will quite fit.”

George clucked his tongue disapprovingly at Hermione, “I’m not done yet, Granger.” She watched with amusement as he pulled out his wand and tapped both shells, leaving in their place two different bands of gold. Surprised she reached out for the larger one and examined it. It felt like real metal and on inspection she could see the small imprint of shells running around the inner part of the band. Looking over at the one Fred held, she could see that it was a smaller, thinner version but still had the same engraving.

“You’re welcome.” George said smugly before stepping back to join his wife and kids.

Fred took her hand and slid her ring down her finger to nestle next to her engagement ring. She did the same with the ring she held, feeling it slide easily over his knuckles. He held on to both of her hands and pulled her closer to him.

Charlie’s voice rang out again, “Now, by no power what so ever vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife!”

Several cheers went up from the small crowd as Fred bent down to kiss Hermione again. She couldn’t imagine this day being any more perfect. It had been the wedding that neither of them knew they wanted and everything had fallen so easily into place. They were surrounded by family that loved them and they were together, nothing else mattered.

As they parted from the kiss Fred grinned down at her. Knowing they were about to be bombarded with questions and congratulations they turned to the rest of the family. Mrs. Weasley reached them first and was crying with happiness, pulling her son and new yet old daughter into a hug.

“Oh you two will be wonderful parents.” She said with a sniffle when she pulled back to beam at them. The rest of the family gathered closer and said their congratulations to the newly wed and expectant parents. As the light grew darker, George and Ron set it upon themselves to start a fire, reminiscent of the one that had started this all.

Hermione sat on the ground in front of Fred, leaning against his chest as they joked and talked with their family. His arms were wrapped around her as he whispered in her ear, making her laugh. The crackling fire in front of them warded off the chilly nighttime air and the moon illuminated the beach around them. As the night wore on the other family members started to go back up to the cottage or head back to their own homes, each wishing the newlyweds a final congratulations before they left.

Soon the beach was empty except for Fred and Hermione. They watched the fire together in silence, Fred resting his head against hers. She turned suddenly in his arms and came to rest on her knees, not caring how dirty her dress was getting. She leaned forward towards him between his knees and wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. His hands were at her waist and he pulled her closer, deepening their contact.

The fire warmed her back as she pulled away to look at her new husband, "Take a walk with me?" She asked.

He grinned as she got to her feet and pulled him up with her. They held hands as they walked down the beach away from the fire, as they had done what seemed like ages ago. After a while Fred recognized the spot they were at and stopped walking. He grinned as Hermione turned back to him in question. The sight of her was wonderful, the whiteness of her dress picking up the moonlight and making her features even darker. Her hair had started to spill out of its messy updo a while ago and soft curls floated around her shoulders in the breeze. He remembered exactly how she had looked the night he first kissed her and hadn't imagined at the time that she could look any more beautiful. Yet here she was.

"What?" She asked as she noticed him watching her.

He held out a hand to her and she smiled slightly as she took, laughing as he pulled her to him. He put his other hand on her waist as he started to move with a silent tune, pulling her with him into a slow dance. She sighed and closed her eyes, resting her head against his chest as they took small steps together.  They held their conjoined hands against his chest as her other one rested on his shoulder. They swayed together, lost in the closeness of each other. He bent down to kiss her forehead and she looked up at him.

"Everything is going to change now isn't it?" She asked with a soft smile.

He looked down at her and nodded. "Of course. I've heard babies bring about a lot of change."

She grinned and shook her head, "That's not what I meant."

He kissed her cheek as they stopped moving. "I know. And yes, everything is going to change. Our lives are different now. But we're changing together and I know that I love you. That's all I really need."

Tears pricked her eyes as she nodded and wrapped her arms around his back, "I love you too."

\--

 Just a few days later Hermione laughed as Fred placed kisses all over her bare stomach, there was not indication of the baby that grew there but he spent most of his free time talking to it. The heat from the sun above them was sweltering and she swatted at him so she could sit up. He grinned at her as he pulled her to standing, making her screech and laugh as he picked her up and carried her into the ocean. The warm water was exactly the way she remembered it as she let herself float backwards in his arms. They had returned to Greece a few days after the wedding, both of them deciding it was the perfect time to utilize Hermione's Christmas present. They had the same house and were currently enjoying the private beach.

She pulled herself up again and wrapped her arms around Fred's shoulders, still in his embrace. They looked around their little sanctuary as the waves crashed against the rocks that they had spent the morning jumping off of. The place hadn't changed a bit and the crystal blue waters lapped at their shoulders.

"We still haven't decided on a name." She said, taking his attention off of the fish swimming by his feet.

He grinned, "Sure we have. There is no possible way you're changing yours, what else would I call you?"

She scoffed and tugged his hair. "You're going to call me 'Granger' for the rest of my life?"

Raising his eyebrows at her he feigned confusion, "What else would I call you? Do you have another name."

"Seriously Fred." She said, not feeling very serious herself. "We're each keeping our last names?" It was the option she had been rooting for all along but they hadn't properly discussed it.

He nodded and shifted her slightly in his arms, moving her in the water so that her legs were wrapped around his waist. "And what about the kid's last name?" he asked as he cupped her bottom. She was wearing the exact same bikini she had the last time they were here. And he still appreciated it just as much.

"Granger-Weasley?" She said. "Weasley-Granger?"

"Ruler-of-the-world? Savior-of-wizards?" Fred offered helpfully.

"Definitely Savior-of-wizards." She agreed. "We'd have to give them a pretty boring first name to make up for that. John Savior-of-wizards or Mary Savior-of-wizards."

Fred grinned at her suggestions. They hadn't exactly discussed any name choices yet, at least not seriously. Given that she was only three months along, there was plenty of time to give suggestions.

"I'm going with Mary." He said.

She raised her eyebrows at him, "You think it's a girl?"

He nodded, he wasn't sure what it was but something in his gut was telling him they were going to have a daughter.

"Care to bet on it?" She asked with a slight smile. "I promise that I will be a good patient and not utilize any of my healing abilities to find out early."

He wrinkled his brows at he and considered it. "Why Granger, who knew you were the betting type."

Laughing she pushed back from him and tried to touch the bottom, only to find that they had went past the point where she could. She cursed  his height and tread water. "So winner gets?"

He grinned manically, "Naming rights?"

She widened her eyes at him, he really went in for the kill. After hearing what names he had just been suggesting she said a quick apology to their unborn child and agreed to his terms. She had no idea what so ever this little baby would come out as, and as long as it was healthy, she didn't really care. Even if it had to be named Dragula Savior-of-wizards as Fred so enthusiastically called her stomach from now on.

\- - 

She woke later that night shivering in the residual cold left over from her nightmare. Her forehead was dotted with beads of sweat and she looked over at Fred sleeping on the bed next to her. She reached out to touch his back but then thought better of it, wanting to let him sleep. She slipped out of bed and went to the bathroom to splash water on her face. The dream was eluding her as she tried to remember what had scared her out of sleep. Giving up she padded back out to the bedroom getting side tracked by the open french doors leading out to the balcony. 

The cool breeze brushed over her skin as she leaned against the railing. She could see the moon glimmering over the ocean in the distance and closed her eyes at the peace she felt. She smiled and leaned back as she felt Fred slip his arms around her waist. He nuzzled sleepily into her neck. 

He had woken alone in their bed and had rolled over to see her standing out on the balcony. The silk of her shorts and tank top fluttered in the breeze as he slid out of bed to join her. His bare chest was warm against her back in the cool night air. 

"You okay?" He asked into her hair. 

She nodded and put her hand on his arm, "Yeah, just couldn't sleep." She smiled as his lips came into contact with the skin of her neck. 

"I think I can help with that." He said softly as she turned in his arms. He kissed her softly and ran his hands over the softness of her shirt and down her arms to take her hands in his. She smiled as he lead her back to the bed. The white cotton was soft underneath her as she laid back on the bed. Fred crawled up over her body and kissed her again, wrapping his arm around her to pull her up close to him. She rolled with him and came to rest over him, laying across his chest. She kissed her way down his neck and chest, he groaned as she made her way lower down his body. 

After a few minutes he was breathless and tugged at her shoulder, bringing her back up to him. As she straddled him again and kissed him, he laughed feeling that she was still dressed. 

"That doesn't quite feel fair love." She smiled against his mouth and laughed as he rolled her onto her back. He made short work of her clothes and they moved against each other in the cool night air, creating a heat of their own. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All right everyone, time to make a guess. Boy or Girl?


	31. Chapter 31

Hermione walked down the hallway at the hospital looking over a chart as she went. The end of her shifts were always chaotic as she rounded on her patients for a final time before handing off report to the healer taking over for her. Tonight that would be Draco and she still felt awkward around him since he treated her after the attack. It had been two months and to be quite honest, she had been avoiding her colleague as best she could. She understood that as a healer patient confidentiality was of upmost importance, but to know that her childhood enemy and now friend knew intimate details about her life and body.

As the blond man slid into the seat next to her she looked over at him and smiled. “One second, sorry.” She said as she tried to hurriedly finish writing her thought into the chart she was working on.

“Take your time.” Draco said as he spun his chair back and forth, looking around the small office.

Putting the pen down, she turned and looked at him again. “Okay, done. How’re you?”

He sighed and leaned his head back on the back of the chair. “Okay. Astoria is going baby crazy lately. The news of all you idiots having kids is putting a lot of pressure on me.”

Hermione grinned at the mention of Draco’s wife. He didn’t talk about his family much with anyone and she had been surprised to hear of his marriage a few years ago. The bright blond witch was perky but quiet, always happy to socialize at any of the hospitals functions. She had come from a prestigious family and was an only child. “Do you not want kids? You know it’s okay if you don’t.”

Draco shrugged and glanced over at her. “I don’t’ know. It’s not that I don’t want them. It’s not like I’ve had the best role models for parenting though.”

She frowned slightly thinking about Draco’s parents and their turbulent history. If it was anyone else she would have reached over to comfort them, but Draco wasn’t big on physical contact. So instead she slid her chair over to him and mimicked his pose so they were both looking up at the ceiling. “You know that doesn’t mean you’ll be a bad father.”

He grunted, clearly not believing her so she nudged him with her knee. “It doesn’t. You and I both know that parents do not determine the destiny of their children. I mean look at me, I wouldn’t even be a witch if our fates were solely determined by the lives of our parents. And how about Harry? Explain him.”

The chair he was sitting on squeaked slightly as he turned his head to look at her again, “You know Granger, you’ve gotten sickeningly sentimental lately.”

She wholeheartedly agreed. The emotions raging in her with this stage of her pregnancy were driving her crazy. She was always level headed and calm but last night she snapped at Fred when he bumped into her in the bathroom while she was brushing her teeth. It ended with her sitting on the edge of the tub crying about absolutely nothing.

“Speaking of which,” he started eyeing her abdomen. “How’s the kid?”

She rolled her eyes. At five months along the swell of her belly was becoming more and more prominent. Over the past few weeks she had finally had to start altering her clothing to fit her growing figure, even her stretchy running clothes were starting to feel snug.

“Fine so far. At least so far as Fallow will tell me.” She said in reference to the healer who they had been doing their checkups with.

Draco looked at her confused and she sighed, “I’m not allowed to look at it myself.”

“Let me guess, some sort of bet?”

She grinned over at him, knowing that he had been the one to deliver both of George’s kids. He had had front row seats to the massive exchanging of money that had occurred with each birth.

“If it’s a girl I think I may swap her in the nursery for a boy just to save her the misery of whatever name Fred picks.” His recent slew of names had made her cringe. The thought of having to call her daughter any of them was enough motivation to kidnap another child.

\- -

An hour later she had changed from her scrubs into her jeans, black tank top and dark teal cardigan. Her head ached as she ran her hands through her hair. All she wanted to do at this point was go home and collapse on the couch in a mindless puddle of mush.

Fred said he had some things he had to work on in the shop tonight which is why it was a surprise to her when she looked up from fiddling in her bag to see him standing near the apparition point. She paused in surprise but then smiled and started walking towards him.

“What are you doing here?” She asked once she reached him, grinning as he leaned down to kiss her.

He had that look on his face like he had when planning a prank at Hogwarts all those years ago. “What? I can’t surprise my lovely, workaholic wife?”

“Well you did tell me you had some things to work on tonight.”

“Yeah, finished that. Want to see what I’ve been working on?” He asked with a grin.

She couldn’t even imagine what crazy product he had cooked up now. There had been several nights over the past few weeks where he had been down in the shop working. Which was fine with her as he hated the scary movies she watched, so she was able to enjoy herself without his constant commentary.

“Thought I wasn’t allowed in the shop anymore?” She asked as she went to take his hand. He had deemed the back room off limits to her as many of their new products were potentially hazardous. Something they had both found out in the past.

He shrugged his shoulders, “I think I’ll make an exception with this one.” He gripped her hand tightly and turned on the spot. As the familiar spinning sensation over took her, she closed her eyes. Apparating seemed to have adverse effects on her stomach nowadays.

When she opened her eyes she was surprised to find that they were not standing in the back room of the shop like she had expected. Instead they were standing along a quiet, narrow street lined with large trees. There were a couple houses scatted down the cobbled street and Hermione didn’t recognize any of them. Confused she turned to look over at Fred, he still had that look on his face as he grinned down at her.

“Did you get lost?” She asked, knowing that something was going on.

He smiled down at her and shook his head. “No, just going home.”

She looked around and laughed a little, “Fred, we don’t live here.”

The grin on his face widened as he held up a key, “Then why do I have this?” He laughed at her furrowed brows and turned her by her shoulders so that she was facing the house they had landed in front of. It was a beautiful, two storied, white brick house with wood accents around the windows and on the the front porch. The shingled roof was peaked at different spots and large tall windows adorned the front of the building. There was a stone walkway leading up to the front porch and Hermione could see the cheery pale green front door under the roof of the porch. The large trees around them seemed to continue around the house, encircling the quaint garden in the front.

The realization of what he meant dawned on her and she turned to him with widened eyes. “You bought a house?” Her voice was quiet.

Her reaction wasn’t exactly what he had been expecting and for a second he regretted his decision to do this without her. But then a wide grin split over her face and she all but pounced on him, wrapping her arms around his neck and laughing in his ear. THIS was the reaction he had been hoping for. He wrapped his arms around her and grinned.

“You bought a house.” She repeated as she pulled back, smiling up at him. “For us?”

He let his hands fall to her waist, feeling the slight curve of her stomach. “Well I wasn’t exactly planning on living here by myself, love.”

She rolled her eyes before standing on her toes to kiss him. They pulled apart and she turned back to stare at the house, _their_ house. It really was beautiful, and the area was so quiet which she appreciated after living above two busy streets for the past eight years.

“As much fun as I’m having standing in the middle of the street, do you want to see inside?” He asked, amused.

She nodded and let him take her hand to lead her up the walkway and then the steps of the porch. Fred unlocked the door and turned to her. She caught the look in his eye and took a step back, holding up her hand.

“Don’t even think about it.” She said.

He paused and grinned at her. “It’s tradition.”

She refused to laugh as he took another step towards her, “Tradition is going to break your back.” Her voice was stern.

He rolled his eyes and took the final step towards her and easily scooped her up despite her protests and wriggling. Shifting her slightly, he grinned, enjoying her scowl and her arms wrapped around his shoulders.

“At least this way we’ll both wake up with sore backs.” She grumbled.

“I do my part.” She was light in his arms and he took a dramatic step into the house. She shook her head at him and smiled, wiggling a bit to be put down. As her feet touched the ground she looked around the open entry way. The room was open to the ceiling of the second floor and a wood staircase with black metal railings wrapped up the wall to their left. The wood accents on the light cream colored walls mimicked the outside.

They made their way through the hallway in front of them to the kitchen and living room. The back wall was floor to ceiling windows that looked out over the back garden which was a wide expanse of lawn with large trees scattered throughout providing shade. The entire interior was light and airy; Hermione was surprised not to see a single gaudy color given their current living situation.

She went to stand in the middle of the living room and found that there were already pieces of furniture present. “How on earth did you get all this done without me knowing?” She asked, turning to Fred who was leaning against the kitchen counter across the room.

“Magic.” He said with a smile.

The upstairs was just as wonderful with four bedrooms which Hermione raised her eyebrows at, wondering exactly what Fred planned to put in those bedrooms. He steered her toward the bedroom next to theirs. She paused at the doorway and looked around, it was a smaller bedroom but a large window ran from the floor to ceiling, overlooking the back of the house. She went to stand in front of it and looked out. Near the back of the garden she could see the roof of something.

“What is that?” She asked as Fred came to stand next to her.

“That’s my shop, or your crazy backyard surgery. Whichever you’d prefer. I had to make some adjustments to the window but I figured it would be big enough to watch the cool products get tested.” He said with a slight smile.

Realization of what he was talking about dawned on her and she turned to him, thinking back of their conversation in the cave. “I’d forgotten about that.” She said softly, as she looked up at him.

He leaned over and kissed her forehead, reaching up to touch her cheek as he did. “That’s what I’m here for.”

Wrapping her arms around his waist she rested her head against him while they both looked out the window of what would be their baby’s nursery. The same nursery they had imagined as they pictured their perfect place, thinking she was about to die.

“This is perfect. Thank you.” She said, watching the leaves move in the trees outside.

“I think it was the least I could do. You’re growing a human, I had to do my part in something.”

She laughed and put her hand on her belly. “I think you already did your part.”

He tilted her head up to kiss her, “Good thing I’m very good at it.” Grinning he took her hands and led her to the room next door, which had the same expansive windows and a large queen sized bed already set up which they took no time to break in.

\- -

They spent their first Christmas alone together at the house they now called home. Most of the Weasley’s were traveling to visit Charlie in Romania. George and his family were with his in-laws while Ginny and Harry would be joining them later after celebrating Christmas Eve at their own home with James. Ginny had found out a month ago that they were expecting baby number two and the redhead wasted no time planning all of the activities their two kids would be doing together.

The tree that she and Fred had drug out of the woods was massive, reaching all the way to the top of their two story living room. Hermione stood back and watched as Fred levitating the star to the very top, trying to direct him but more focused on how hungry she was.

Fred looked over a few minutes later to ask her how it looked and laughed when he saw that she was sitting cross legged on the couch with a bunch of grapes on her six month belly.

“We just hauled a tree in from the woods like lumberjacks,” she said scowling at him. “I deserve a snack.”

He went over and fell onto the couch beside her, stealing some of the grapes from her stash as they both admired their tree. He waved his wand at the tree and she gasped as small colorful lights light up the branches, it reminded her of the trees at Hogwarts. Fred looked down at her belly suddenly at the spot that had just kicked him. They were so common now that she barely noticed them anymore, but it was always a surprise to him.

“She’s going to be a beater for sure.” He said, putting his hand on the spot and waited to feel any movement. Hermione looked over at him laughing.

“How does a strong kick indicate that _he’s_ going to be a beater? I mean just the fact that it’s my kid pretty much disqualifies him for Quidditch already.” She winced as she felt another one of those strong kicks.

“Well you see, strong legs equal strong arms. She’s going to be a bruiser.” He grinned over at her.

“You know I am so excited to see the look on your face when this little man gets here. And he won’t be getting some silly name like Brunhilde either.” She said, referencing his last name suggestion. It had gotten to the point where he was spouting out a new name every day, saying that he only had limited time left to find the perfect one.

She turned her head towards the front of the house as the doorbell sounded. Guess Ginny and Harry had decided to leave early, Hermione thought as Fred got up off the couch to answer the door.

Just as she was about to get up to greet the newcomers, she startled when a silvery object floated into the room. The silvery form pranced down in the air and came to rest in front of her before it’s shape took from to reveal Kingsley’s lynx patronus. The disembodied voice of the Minister filling the room as Hermione’s eyes widened in concern.

“ _Dolohov has escaped. Find a safe place now.”_

Hermione’s heart raced as she stood quickly, pulling out her wand as she went. Moving around the couch and into the hallway leading towards the front, she stopped when she saw Fred laying prone on the floor near the open door. Rushing forward she dropped awkwardly to her knees beside him, sighing in relief when she found a pulse at his neck. The cold from the winter air outside made her shiver as she shook his shoulder. She was just about to send her own patronus to Harry but then froze as a familiar, sickening voice spoke from the stairs above her.

“Hello Ms. Granger.”


	32. Magic Tricks

She looked up slowly at the man who had been haunting her dreams for the past few months. It was strange how new horrors in her life kept being replaced by new ones He looked almost the same as when she had last seen him, albeit on the thinner side and his hair was sheered short, but he still had the crazy look in his eyes that made her scared. He stepped down a few steps until he came to stand right in front of her and Fred, looking down at her and grinning.

He turned his gaze to Fred and clicked his tongue, "What a pity. Looks like poor Mr. Weasley wont be around to save you this time. You or your two friends."

"What do you mean?" She asked, trying to subtly pinch Fred to wake him up.

He grinned, "Well I figured my approach of having the golden trio individually didn't work out so well. So this time I went for all three. Lucky for me they other two were so concerned with your safety that they came quite willingly. And now I'm assuming you will do the same to save them."

She thought about Ron and Harry, not thinking that they would be so gullible as to go with someone without checking on her first. Dolohov must have seen her thought process, "It's amazing how much good a touch of polyjuice potion will do. Of course that little setback was hard to fake." He gestured to her abdomen.

"But none the less, your little friends followed me like puppies thinking you were in danger. So valiant."

He was holding his wand aloft and pointed at her, gesturing for her to stand. She paused for a moment before standing, letting her hand slip off of Fred's back as he still lay unconscious on the floor. Her own wand was still gripped tightly in her hand, wondering which spell she could use that would take him out quickly. It seemed to be all psychological for him, Hermione thought, the use of magic on her didn't even seem to cross his mind.

"My dear, I learned under the great Lord Voldemort. As strong as you are, you're still no match for me." He said with a snear.

She snapped back at him, "And yet Voldemort is dead. Killed by a bunch of teenagers. Sorry but it doesn't boast well for your own skills."

He took a quick step forward with anger in his eyes, before pulling up short and grinning. His time in Azkaban must have shortened his temper, he definitely wasn't this reactive the last time they had seen each other. The thought made Hermione even more nervous, unsure what his volatile nature might do now.

"I'm sure Mr. Weasley here would appreciate my skills very much. Not exactly in a position to defend himself, is he?"

A quick glance down at Fred showed that he was still not moving. She itched to close the front door and get him out of the direct line of cold air that was seeping into the house.

"Now. How about we get you to your friends." Dolohov said, clapping his hands together.

She turned her attention back to him, "And if I don't?"

He laughed slightly and shook his head, "As if you have a choice. And just in case you decide not to, well then I hope you had the chance to say good buy to your friends."

"And how do I know you even have them?" Hermione asked, knowing that he used a double of her to trick them.

He pulled out two additional wands from his cloak pocket and held them up for her to see. They were both easily recognized as Harry and Ron's, ones that she had seen many times during their years together. It was a crime to take a wizard's wand and she knew that her friends would not give them up willingly. The room around her seemed to chill even more at the realization that she didn't have a choice but to go with him. He must have seen the drop in her resolve as he smiled brightly and clapped his hands like a little child.

"Oh wonderful. It'll be like one grand reunion." He held his empty hand out and gestured for her wand whish she reluctantly handed over.

"Shall we?" He asked, holding his arm out to her.

She quickly closed the front door, doing her best to protect Fred from the elements. The baby was kicking her wildly as she moved over to Dolohov's side and took his arm, taking a final glance down at Fred. They apparated quickly landing in a very different location than the one he had previously used.

They were in a room that looked quite similar to the dungeons at Hogwarts, in fact if she didn't know better she would have thought that's exactly where they were. There were cells on either side of the long hallway and each movement they made echoes off the stone walls.

"Hermione!" She turned at the yell and was dismayed to see Ron and Harry standing behind the bars of one of the cells. There had been a hope deep down that Dolohov was lying to her about them being here.

Dolohov steered her towards their cell and pointed his wand at the boys, "Stand back dearies." He said. The two men didn't move until he pointed the wand at Hermione instead. When the way was clear he swung the door to the cell open and pushed Hermione inside, she stumbled a bit and Ron stepped forward to steady her, gripping her arm tightly. They turned as Dolohov closed the door again and muttered a spell to lock the cell. He turned to leave but Hermione closer to the bars, calling out to stop him.

"Wait! What are you going to do with us?"

He didn't answer, instead he simply smiled at her over his shoulder and then walked down the long hall, disappearing from sight.

She turned back to the boys and put her hands on her hips, "Really? You got fooled by polyjuice potion? You think you would have learned by now."

Ron and Harry glowered at her, thinking about how they were brought here. "Well to be fair, they were pretty convincing." Harry said looking up at her.

She rolled her eyes at him, "So were you two when we were kids." She ignored their protests as she looked around the musty, dark room they were in. "Any idea what their plan is?"

"Oh, same as always," Ron started sarcastically. "Maim and murder us all." His voice was edged with anger and also fear, thinking back to his own attack.

She turned back to them from surveying the seemingly empty hallway outside their cell. "Well luckily they won't have that chance." She said with a slight grin as she held up her wand.

The balked at her and rushed forward. "How'd he let you keep that? Took ours strait away."

"He _thought_  he took mine. Luckily with my stupid pregnant brain, I accidentally grabbed one of the trick wands that Fred has laying around thinking it was mine. I didn't even realize that mine was in my pocket like usual." She explained.

"So he's got..?" Harry started to smile thinking very fondly of the twin's products.

"A nice little wand that will at some point burst into a bouquet of flowers." Hermione confirmed. For the second time it seemed that Fred would be rescuing her.

"Well that's convenient." Ron said, grinning at his friends. He and Harry had been trying to come up with a plan of escape prior to Hermione's arrival but hadn't been able to think of anything. When Dolohov told them he was going to get Hermione, both of them knew it was his mistake as she was normally the one to get them out of the tough situations.

"Well what's the plan?" Harry asked. "He obviously apparated in here so we could get out."

Ron turned to him confused, "What do you mean we 'could' get out? Why are we not leaving already."

Hermione understood Harry's underlying thought process. "Because if we just leave then we will be living our lives constantly looking over our shoulder's for Dolohov." Harry nodded as he looked at her. "We need to finish this."

Ron made exacerbated noises at her statement and started to mumble about how they were going to get them killed. It felt familiar being in this situation together and they fell back into their original roles that they had held as teenagers.

"I may have an idea." Hermione said looking at the two others.

\- -

About an hour later they heard Dolohov walk back down the corridor towards them. He sneered at the three of them sitting on the ground together. The glint in his eyes was bright as he gestured for them to stand and come to the door. They walked down the hallway together, Dolohov behind them, occasionally poking his wand into their backs. Hermione tried not to turn and snap at his as he did it to her for a third time. The wand up her sleeve felt very heavy as she itched to use it against the man.

The came to the end of the hallway and passed through a heavy door to find themselves in brick lined room. Surprisingly there wasn't anyone else in the room.

"What happened?" Hermione said, looking about the room. "Lose all of your followers when you sold them to the Ministry?"

Dolohov hissed and dug his wand further into her back, causing her to yelp. "Shut it, you filthy mudblood."

She felt Ron shift beside her at the familiar insult but he didn't move. Dolohov continued as he pushed Hermione away from him and the trio turned to face him.

"You all act like you're special. Like defeating the Dark Lord made you invincible. Yet here you are, under my command. Helpless without any magic or friends to help you." He smiled sinisterly at him. "And now you're going to die."

He took a few steps back and pointed his wand at each of them in turn, "Which of you will go first? The boy-who-lived? Oh the irony of that famous nickname." He swung his wand to Ron, "The crippled blood traitor? You were hardly worth the effort, scampering off like a dog after our last encounter." He then turned his wand to Hermione, "Or perhaps you, my dear horrid girl. Yours will be the most satisfying. The wizarding world will thank me for disposing of your tainted blood and it's spawn."

Hermione's anger rose as if on cue the baby kicked her. He sneered at her then looked to the other's, clearly trying to make up his mind.

"How about we start with you." He said finally, turning his attention to Ron. He pointed his wand at the redhead who held up his hands in instinct. Hermione's heart raced as the death eater drew up his wand and said the words that haunted all of their dreams; _Avada Kedavra_

The flash of green light flew from the tip of his wand through the air and continued right through Ron to hit the back wall. Dolohov's smile dropped as he looked confused. The now shimmering figure of Ron shrugged it's shoulders before vanishing. Dolohov looked at Harry who, also shimmering, disappeared before their eyes. Hermione was the only one left as she let her wand drop out of her sleeve into her hand. _Expelliarmus,_ she yelled as she pointed her wand at the man. He looked completely shocked at the new development as his wand flew out of his hand and into Hermione's.

She reached into her pocket for the thing that had been sent to them just minutes before them leaving the cell. Tossing it on the floor in front of him, she regarded Dolohov with a soft smile. "Trust me, this is going to hurt you a lot more than it will me."

A soft bang erupted from the shard of black, shiny stone on the floor and the room was immediately encased in darkness and a screeching noise. Hermione watched through the protection offered her from the Peruvian darkness powder that she herself had been on the receiving end two years ago. Having been the one to use it she saw easily through the blackness to where Dolohov was gulping air and screaming while he scratched at his skin. Having gone through the same sensations herself, she would have felt bad for him if he hadn't been intent on killing her.

She performed a quick body binding curse on him and then walked towards the door, stopping briefly to pull Ron and Harry's wands out of the frozen man's pocket. She shut the door firmly behind her and turned to the eager faces of her friends. "Well Ron, he didn't think very fondly of you." She said with a grin at her friend. "Tried to off you off first."

Ron rolled his eyes at her and reached for his wand. "That's 'cause I'm the biggest threat."

Harry clapped him on the shoulder and grinned at both of them, "Whatever helps you sleep at night mate."

Hermione felt a surge of happiness as she lunged at her friends, pulling them into a hard hug. They laughed together like they had as kids, feeling quite proud of themselves for their accomplishments. Several cracks sounding off behind then caused them to look up. Several members of the Ministry and Order walked down the halls towards them. She grinned as she saw the redhead she had sent her otter patronus to an hour ago.

She stepped away from her friends and into Fred's embrace, gripping him tightly. He buried his face in her hair as Ginny and Cho rushed forward to greet their counterparts.

"I think I'll just lock you in the basement from now on." Fred said as he pulled back and smoothed a piece of hair out of her face.

She laughed and stood on her toes to kiss him. Waking up on the floor of their entryway and finding her gone was concerning enough. But then the familiar playful otter had appeared before him and told him that Dolohov had her, Harry and Ron, but not to worry. He didn't really understand how she thought that it was a possibility, to not worry when his pregnant wife was with someone who wanted to kill her.

"What the hell did you need that powder for?" He asked, having felt confused about why the otter had requested that particular product. "Thought you would have had enough of that stuff?"

She quickly explained the events since she saw him last, including her mix up with the trick wand. "You're right though. It is quite handy when you're not on the receiving end."

"Knew you'd appreciate my genius at some point." He grinned and leaned down to kiss her again. They heard the door open behind them and stepped aside as Kingsley and a few Aurors walked by, levitating Dolohov between them. The man's eyes were tearing as the effects of the powder still worked on him. They flitted over Hermione and Fred standing together and she saw rage fill them. Knowing he couldn't move with the spell on him, Hermione gave him a small smile knowing that she would never see him again. No one escaped from Azkaban more than once, as punishment for that was the dementor's kiss.

She wrapped her arms around Fred's waist and leaned against him watching her nightmares be taken away. As they disappeared out of sight the other four family members came to stand by the two of them.

"Now what?" Ron asked, his arm over Cho's shoulder.

Hermione looked up at Fred with a smile, "Now we celebrate Christmas."

\- -

Less than an hour later they were all sprawled out on the couches in Fred and Hermione's living room, laughing as Ron retold the story of Hermione's great plan.

"Why didn't you just apparate out of there?" Ginny asked.

Harry turned towards his wife, "We didn't really fancy living the rest of our lives with a murderer after us."

The tree in front of them sparkled in the low light of the room, they talked into the late hours before Ginny started yawning noisily. They had put James to bed hours ago in the bedroom they were staying in.

Harry stood up and helped his wife to her feet. "Merry Christmas everyone." They said on their way up the stairs. Ron and Cho followed shortly after, leaving Fred and Hermione curled up on the couch. Fred pulled her towards him until she was sitting on his lap. She wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned into him, enjoying the warmth of him.

"You know as fun as today was, can we not do that again." He asked quietly.

She chuckled and pulled back to look at him. "It's not like I was going to make it a hobby."

His mouth quirked upwards but then he looked at her seriously. "I was really scared today."

She nodded, "Me too." His lips were soft against hers as she leaned over to kiss him. Pulling away he moved his hand from her back to her stomach.

"She doesn't like all the excitement." Fred said as he felt the baby shift under his hand.

Hermione rolled her eyes at him and placed her hand on top of his. "If  _he_ doesn't like excitement then he picked the wrong father."

He grinned at their continued disagreement and kissed her cheek. "I'm thinking we should name her Olga. How's that sound?"

She made a face and leaned in close to him, "You know two can play this game. Wouldn't want your son to have some silly name would you." The lights of the tree glinted off of her eyes as she smiled sinisterly at him. At this point with all of his teasing she was almost willing to giver her kid an outlandish name just to get him back. He would eventually understand.

He squinted his eyes at her before dumping her off his lap onto the couch. She laughed softly as he crawled over her and leaned down her. Realizing his intentions she swatted at him. "We have guests." She breathed against his lips.

"You really think they aren't doing the same thing after today?" Fred said, grinning back at her.

She considered this for a moment before pulling his head back down to her, kissing him long and deep as her fingers ran under his shirt to pull it off. He moved his lips down to her neck and slid a hand up under her shirt, over her belly to her breast. Being a thousand times more sensitive wasn't helping her as she moaned into his shoulder, trying to be as quiet as possible.

Their clothing was off in a few minutes and Fred slid down her body to rest between her legs. The fact that she couldn't see him over the swell of her belly was oddly amusing to Hermione and she couldn't help from laughing. This quickly died out as his tongue began to work on her, making quick work as she found her relief. She was breathing heavily as he came back up her body, slipping inside her as he went. A new energy overtook them as they lost themselves together, their movements quick and urgent. For the second time they had faced loosing the person they loved the most and all they wanted was to be close.

After several more minutes Fred rolled off of her breathing heavily. They slipped their clothes back on and sat back down on the couch. Hermione tucked herself against him and placed her hand over his on her belly as they watched the tree across the room. "Merry Christmas, love." He leaning over to kiss her forehead.  

She turned her head to look over her shoulder and gripped his hand tighter. "Merry Christmas."

 


	33. Chapter 33

“I never thought I’d be one of those people who complained about being pregnant, but this is getting really old.” Hermione said as she looked down at Fred who was currently crouched in front of her tying the laces on her trainers.

He looked up at her with a grin as he moved on to the second shoe. He had come out of the kitchen this morning to find Hermione in the entry way, swearing as she tried every possible position to get her shoes on. If he hadn’t known the reception he would have gotten, he would have laughed at the site of her pregnant acrobatics. Instead he simply walked over and, despite her protests, bent down to help her.

When he was finished he rocked back on his heels and placed a kiss on her protruding abdomen. It was amazing how much the baby had grown over the past two months and they were both eagerly counting down the last three weeks until her due date. He placed his hands on either side of her belly and leaned close, “Listen kid, we know you’re safe and warm in there but we cannot wait to meet you. Until then, anything you could do to make this easier for your mum would be much appreciated.”

Hermione laughed at that and kissed him as he rose to his feet again. He wrapped his arms about her waist and leaned down to her ear, “Besides, when the time comes, I’ve read about some very interesting ways to get labor going.”

He pulled back with a grin and she knew exactly what ways he was talking about. However she had been so exhausted lately that sex was the last thing on her mind. For some reason her nightmares had been running rampant over the past few weeks, barely allowing her an hours sleep before jolting her awake. Last night she had slept for maybe two hours before the image of Fred laying in the cave with a broken leg had woken her. Deciding sleep was not going to come easily she had slipped out of bed and went down to the living room to read the book that comforted her the most; Hogwarts: A history.

That is where Fred had found her this morning, curled up with the finished book hanging from her hands. The lack of sleep that she was getting was starting to worry him. Each passing day the dark circles under her eyes got more prominent and he could tell how hard she was fighting to keep a cheery demeanor. Between the lack of sleep and the effort her small frame was making carrying this baby, he was worried she would simply collapse from exhaustion.

She had brushed off his concerns though, telling him that it was completely normal for women to feel exhausted at this stage of pregnancy. Though to be honest, she wasn’t exactly sure this was normal. She put all her energy into her work day to make sure that she wasn’t lax in the care of her patients, and then by the time she got home she was so bone tired that it took the rest of her energy just to keep from passing out at the dinner table.

“Hermione, I know we’ve talked about this before but maybe you should consider taking a few days off…” Fred started before she interrupted him.

“No. I’m not going to stop working just because I’m pregnant. Loads of women work until the minute they go into labor. Look at your mother, you think she was sitting at home with her feet up as six other children ran rampant around the house?”

“You’re not my mother.” Fred said sternly, tilting his head down to hers. “You’re exhausted all of the time, love. And if you won’t listen to me then maybe a healer.”

She rolled her eyes at him, “I am a healer. And I am fine, I promise.” She kissed his cheek before stepping out of his embrace to shrug into her coat.

Scowling at her, he reached past her for his own coat. Going back to the kitchen he grabbed the thermos of tea she had made earlier and brought it back to her. She wrinkled her nose at the beverage that she had taken up after she gave up coffee during her pregnancy. A steaming cup of coffee almost made her swoon and she would have given anything for a boost of caffeine right now.

“I’ll see you tonight.” She said and gave him a quick kiss before apparating into thin air.

Fred looked at the spot she had been standing and sighed. “I love you too.” He called out into the quiet air of the house and made his way to his own work.

It was difficult not to think about his worries with Hermione during his work day. Being in the back restocking products was mindless work and his thoughts wandered to her on many occasion. Near the end of closing time George swept through the curtain into the back room. He had been planning on ducking out early as the two new hires out front had everything handled, but then seeing how deep in thought his twin was he decided to stay.

“Earth to Freddie.” George said as he plopped down on a chair next to Fred’s work station. Still not getting his attention, George gave a sharp kick to the rung of Fred’s stool, causing it to shake a bit. This was effective and Fred looked up from his work to find the source of his interruption.

“Can I help you?” He asked.

George raised his eyebrows at the snappish tone in the question. “Hermione still not sleeping well?” Fred had told him over the past few weeks of the difficulties she had been having with her nightmares and how tired she was getting. It seemed that no matter what tactic Fred used against her, she dodged it easily. And it was making Fred incredibly frustrated.

“No. And she won’t listen to me so I guess I can tell her ‘I told you so’ when she goes into a coma.” He hadn’t realized how angry he actually was about the situation. It was incredibly difficult seeing someone you love struggling but refusing to do anything about it and pretending everything was fine.

“Did you try the dreamless sleep potion?” George asked, remembering the plan that Fred had put into place last week.

His twin shook his head and rubbed through his hair. “Yeah. She was awake within an hour. I swear George, she’s probably gotten six hours in the past three days. I’m starting to get worried.”

George considered his twin, he remembered his own worry with Ali’s pregnancies but Hermione seemed to be having a more difficult time. “Have you told her that she’s worrying you?”

Fred looked over at his twin with a tired expression. “I’ve tried everything. She doesn’t want to admit that this isn’t normal.” He laughed a little remembering her phrase this morning, ‘this is perfectly normal.’ “Or maybe it is, I’m not a healer nor am I pregnant. All I can see if how bloody tired she is.”

\- -

At St. Mungos Hermione was lost in her own thoughts as she worked over a patient. The older man had gotten his hand stuck in a spelled set of hedge trimmers and he now had multiple lacerations up and down his arm. She was working silently over his arm, healing each cut when she saw the edges of her vision go a bit fuzzy. Blinking a few times she reached over to steady herself on the exam table as a wave of nausea and lightheadedness overtook her.

The nurse working with her glanced over in concern at the healer’s sudden stop in her work. “Healer Granger, are you alright?”

Hermione nodded and waved her hand but then felt her knees start to feel weak. Seeing her colleague’s distress, the nurse helped to assist Hermione into a stool and told her to sit put while she got another healer. Two healers arrived a few minutes later, one to take over the care on the older wizard and the other to examine the pregnant witch who was now looking quite pale as she leaned her head back against the chair and took deep breaths.

After a few quick spells and a large glass of water she felt her head start to clear and she was able to open her eyes without the world spinning around her. The healer looking after her was the same one who had looked after Ron two years ago. His expression was stern as he looked at her from the stool he sat on.

“Ms. Granger, I have the upmost confidence and respect for your ability as a healer but if I may be blunt, what the hell are you doing?”

Hermione’s eyebrows rose at his question and she looked at him and the nurse in confusion. “What do you mean? I just got lightheaded, was probably standing for too long.”

“My dear, you are exhausted. Your energy and magic levels are getting precariously low. How have you been sleeping?” The older gentleman asked.

“Just fine.” Hermione lied, but then sighed seeing the doubting expression on the other healer’s face. “Not fine. Not at all really.”

He nodded his silver head and assisted her to her feet, making sure she was steady. “Then I must insist that you return home for some rest. You are no good to us if you are taking up a bed yourself.”

Hermione tried to protest but was quickly shut down by the matronly nurse and the older healer. Knowing that they were right was hard to deny as she rubbed at an aching spot in her lower back. She gathered her things from her office and was reassured that the other healers would pick up her appointments for the rest of the day. Hermione had never left work early and felt strange standing in the living room of her house hours before she was supposed to.

She felt bone tired but oddly energized, looking around for something to do. Knowing that she needed to find something to help her relax so she could sleep, she made her way slowly upstairs to the bathroom connected to her and Fred’s bedroom. There she drew up a bath, removed her clothes and slipped into the heavenly water. The liquid floated her briefly, letting the muscles in her back release the tension they had been holding for the past few hours. She sighed as the warm water flooded her senses and closed her eyes.

This was how Fred found her a few hours later after he arrived home to find her things hanging in the closet. Normally he was the first to arrive home and was able to get started on dinner before Hermione got back from the hospital. So seeing her jacket and shoes already in their spots made him pause. He had never known her to leave work early and at this thought he started to get worried.

“Hermione?” He called to the otherwise silent house. She wasn’t on the main level so he made his way upstairs, ducking into their bedroom. He almost left the room after a cursory glance showed that it was empty, but then he heard a slight shifting of water from the bathroom. Making his way over to the doorway he took in the sight with a soft smile. Hermione was chest deep in the large claw foot tub, bubbles covered the surface of the water as a small blue fire flickered softly near the foot of the tub.

Her eyes were closed and they didn’t open when he went to sit on the edge of the tub. Narrowing his eyes he reached down and scooped up a handful of bubbles which he then proceeded to blow over her. She jumped as several of them landed on her face and sat up quickly in the water, looking around as she reoriented herself.

“You know it’s bad to fall asleep in the tub?” Her eyes flitted upwards and she sighed seeing Fred there.

Sinking back into the warm water she rubbed at her temples. “You were nagging at me this morning to get some sleep. Don’t be so picky about where it happens.”

He ran his hand through the warm water, “You’re home early.” He said matter of factly, still curious why.

She grumbled something under her breath that sounded something like ‘not by choice’. “Sorry love, didn’t catch that.”

Her large brown eyes looked up at him and she repeated herself, confirming that he had heard her correctly the first time. “What do you mean by that? Did something happen?” He asked, his brows furrowed.

She sighed and explained her episode of lightheadedness and how she had been sent home to rest. Now that she was home relaxing she found that she was less annoyed at the events of the day and was beginning to agree with the old healer.

“But you’re okay?” Fred asked, still watching her as she finished her story.

She nodded quickly and sighed, “I think I’m going to take some time off.” She said begrudgingly. “You are all right, I need to take care of myself and this little guy.” Her hands wandered over her bump and she suddenly felt guilty about her recent choices.

Her words surprised him as he never expected his stubborn wife to give in to anything, but he also saw that she was upset with herself. He startled her as he stood quickly from the edge of the tub and began to undress. When all his clothes were on the floor of the bathroom she slid forward in the large tub and felt him slip into the water behind her, pulling her back against him. She fit easily between his legs and she let her head fall back onto his chest. His hands stroked lazily over their baby and she sighed and closed her eyes.

“All I know is that Tallulah has the hardest working and most stubborn mother on the planet.” He said in her ear, making her laugh at the new name he had thought of. It had become a routine for them over the past few months, him coming home with a new list of girl names to taunt her with.

They sat together in the tub for another hour talking and listing off names that Fred had thought of during his workday. Some of them making Hermione laugh so hard that her back ache had returned. After a while they fell silent and simply enjoyed the company of one another. With their hectic schedules recently it had been hard to find time to spend simply with each other and not doing something. Hermione had missed this, she thought with a frown.

She opened her eyes and turned her head so she could look at Fred who had his head rested back against the lip of the tub with his eyes closed. “I love you.” She said softly, watching him.

He opened his eyes at her words and lifted his head to look down at her, smiling softly. “I love you too.” He leaned over to kiss her, trying not to think about the way her bum was pressed closely against a suddenly very sensitive spot of him.

Under the water she could feel his reaction to her closeness and smiled against his lips. Turning in the water she came up on her knees and wrapped her arms about his neck, very aware of her protruding abdomen between them. The old claw foot tub allowed just enough room for them both and the water sloshed a bit at her movements.

He pulled away to look up at her, still somewhat worried about the events of the day. “Love, we don’t’ have to.”

The words had barely left his mouth before she had swooped down to kiss him again, biting his lower lip gently to show that while they didn’t have to, she very much wanted to. He groaned against her mouth and slid his hands up her side to cup her breasts. It still amazed him how much her body had changed with pregnancy, one such change being how extra sensitive she was, he thought with a grin as she gasped at his touch.

They explored each other’s slipper bodies before Fred pulled her down over him and watched her face as she closed her eyes in the pleasure. Leaning her forehead against his, she steadied herself against his shoulder as she lifted herself up over him. The water moved against them and over the rim of the tub with her movements and she felt Fred grip her hips tighter, knowing that he was close.

As she moved fast she felt her own release build up in her, causing spasms up her back as she clung to him as the both fell over the edge. Her breathing was heavy as she relaxed against him, laughing at his declaration of ‘bloody hell’. They stayed that way for a few more minutes before Hermione shivered in the cold air at her exposed back.

They got out, laughing as Hermione struggled to keep her balance with the counterweight against her. After dressing Fred stole downstairs to the kitchen to bring up whatever easy food they had stocked in the cupboards. They spent the rest of the evening sitting in bed, eating sandwiches and crackers before falling easily asleep in each other’s arms. Hermione felt like she was finally going to get a good night’s sleep.

\- -

This was proven wrong when she woke several hours later with the sensation that something was wrong. She looked around the darkness in the room and found it empty. Fred was still sleeping next to her as she slipped out from under his arm and made her way across the bedroom to the bathroom.

As she stood on the cool tile of the bathroom an overwhelming urge to be sick overtook her, something she hadn’t experienced since the early months of her pregnancy. A sharp pain started suddenly in her lower back and she braced herself against the counter, holding her breath against the sensation. It lasted for only a few seconds before resolving and she closed her eyes at the residual lightheadedness she felt. When her head stopped pounding she opened her eyes again and made her way back to bed, putting the pain off as the well known Braxton Hicks contractions.

In the warmth of the bed she snuggled back next to Fred and closed her eyes, trying to fall back to sleep. Several minutes later another pain spread through her back and she sat upright with a gasp. Pressing a hand to her belly she squeezed her eyes shut against the pain. Fred, who had been startled awake by her sudden movement, sat up sleepily and looked around. Seeing her face scrunched up in pain he became wide awake.

“Hermione? Love, what’s wrong?”

She shook her head and took deep breaths as the pain released her. His hand was rubbing up and down her back as he watched her in concern. Feeling suddenly very uncomfortable she slid out of bed and looked down at her damp pajama shorts. Fred’s gaze followed her own and his eyes widened as his heart started to race.

“Was that?”

She blinked quickly, pulled out of the trance she had felt and shook her head. “I don’t know. I think so.”

He had gotten out of bed himself and come to stand by her, not sure exactly what to do with this new development. “It's three weeks early. Did these just start?” He asked, watching as her eyes flitted about the room.

“Yes.” But then she paused thinking to her backache that had been present all day yesterday. Just as she was about to answer she gripped his arm and doubled over as another pain overtook her. It felt hard to breathe through the pains and she unconsciously held her breath.

Fred watched her anxiously, suddenly forgetting everything he had ever learned about childbirth over the past few months. So it seemed as Hermione as she looked panicked when the pain subsided. She hadn’t expected to feel this scared at the imminent aspect of labor. Seeing her fear Fred felt his slip away, knowing that she needed him right now. Coming around to face her he put his hands on her shoulder.

“It’s okay. I’m here and we’re doing this together.” She looked at him and blinked away the tears in her eyes, nodding at him as her courage returned.

Having expected to have weeks left to prepare, they hadn’t packed anything for their trip to the hospital. Hermione went to her closet to change into a loose sweater and leggings, bringing back the beaded bag with her. Fred had changed as well, thinking they hospital staff wouldn’t appreciate him showing up in his boxers.

They moved about the room, occasionally tossing something into the bag. Not having packed anything for the baby, Hermione made her way down the hall to the nursery, pausing for a moment to take in the peaceful room. It had changed so much over the past few months with them gradually adding to it. The walls were now a cream color, one wall with light grey outlines of trees painted on to it. The dark teal and cream colored furniture up against the walls was already assembled and waiting for its new occupant, her favorite piece, the mustard yellow armchair, was next to the window so they could sit and look over the garden, just as they had planned.

She loved this room and looked about at the small stuffed animals and books they had accumulated. They had spent so much time in here already and she smiled as the excitement of what was to come overtook her. After grabbing what she needed, she made her way back to their own bedroom, finding Fred frantically looking through one of his drawers.

She smiled as she watched him mutter to himself about keeping his head. “Fred.” She said, trying to catch his attention. Another wave of pain was approaching and she gritted her teeth, trying to breathe through it. “Fred!” She said louder over the pain.

He looked up at this and moved quickly towards her at the look of obvious pain on her face. “I think we should go now.” She said as relief flooded her body. He nodded quickly and grabbed the small bag which he shoved into his pocket before coming back to her. Seeing his pinched expression she put her hands on either side of his face and brought his gaze back to her face.

“Hey. We’re having a baby.” She said with a smile.

The excitement was infectious and he grinned back at her before kissing her forehead. In his embrace the apparated to St. Mungos. Once arrived, they were ushered into an exam room where Hermione waited on a bed, occasionally gripping Fred’s hand with the waves of pain. The door opened at the middle of one of her contractions and in walked the healer.

Hermione looked up and her eyes widened as she held up a finger at Draco Malfoy. “No. You are not delivering my baby.” She said through gritted teeth as the blond wizard approached them.

Draco smiled slightly and stood a few feet from her until the pain subsided, not putting it past her to punch him again. “Sorry. I’m the only one on tonight.”

Hermione fell back against the pillow and muttered something about doing it herself. In no reality had she imagined her ex-childhood terror delivering her child. Fred smiled slightly at the other wizard, having complete trust in his ability as a healer after he had cared for Hermione after their attack. But no amount of friendship now would make Hermione comfortable with her colleague being anywhere close to the most intimate parts of her.

\- -

Several hours later she found that she couldn’t care less who was in the room with her, as long as they got the baby out. She was even more exhausted than she had been yesterday if that was possible, her lack of sleep catching up with her as each stage of her labor progressed.

She cried out with the pain of her latest contraction, shooting forward on the bed as she gripped Fred’s hands until he was sure that his bones would start to crack. He was sitting behind her on the bed, providing leverage that she could push against. When the pain finally passed she collapsed back onto his chest, breathing hard as she closed her eyes. Her hair was still in the messy bun that they had arrived in, but several pieces were now plastered to her temples with sweat and tears.

Draco peered up at them from his spot at the end of the bed between her legs. “Any time now. You need to push when I tell you.”

Hermione whimpered slightly and turned her head against Fred’s chest. “I can’t do this anymore. I’m not ready.”

Fred heard the defeat and fatigue in her voice and shifted so that she could see his face. He moved some of the hair off of her face and cupped her cheek. “Hermione you are the strongest woman I know. There has never been a situation that you haven’t been prepared for months in advance. You are ready, and we’re going to do this together. Okay?”

She looked at him through tired eyes and tried to find the energy. When she nodded her agreement Fred kissed her forehead and took up his spot behind her, “Alright, now let’s meet our daughter.”

She didn’t even have time to correct him before her body was gripped in another wave of pain. Through the next few waves of pain she could barely hear Draco and Fred talking to her as she focused on getting through her exhaustion, pulling every ounce of energy she had. With the last contraction she felt something give way and collapsed exhausted back onto Fred’s chest.

Fred laughed a bit as the hard part was finally over and Draco worked quickly between her legs. At the sharp cry of their baby, Hermione breathed in sharply, looking in earnest at the healer. Draco smile slightly as he lifted the pink, slimy baby with a thin layer of dark brown fuzz on it’s head, and handed it over to rest on Hermione’s chest.

“Congratulations. You’ve a son.” He said.

Both parents looked up in surprise and a quick glance at the appendage between the baby’s legs confirmed Draco’s statement. Hermione laughed aloud as Fred groaned from beside her, it seems that for the amount of bets he and his brother had placed throughout their lifetime, they were losing miserably when it came to their children.

Hermione and Fred gazed down at their new son in awe, touching his arms and legs and face. Staring in wonder as the dark blue eyes of his father stared back at them.

“He’s perfect.” Hermione said, sweeping a finger over the soft cheek.

Fred nodded and kissed the side of her head. They watched for what seemed like hours until the baby started rooting against Hermione. She adjusted her gown and inhaled sharply as the baby found its target.

“So what’s it going to be?” Fred asked from beside her.

Confused she looked away from the baby over her shoulder to him. “What’s what going to be?”

He laughed slightly, “Well we could always call him Weasley spawn but I think he’d have some questions when he got older.”

She laughed and shook her head, “I’m going to be completely honest with you, I was a hundred percent convinced that you were right. There’s just this incessant need that I have to bet against you. I didn’t even have a name picked out.”

He scoffed as he thought about the hundreds of names that he had come up with, albeit none of them were the one he was going to use. They spoke for a few more minutes as they looked down at their son, finally Hermione suggested one that had them both grinning, knowing it was the perfect name for their son.

The exhaustion had caught up with her as she closed her eyes and rested back against Fred’s shoulder. Draco had finished his work at the end of the bed and stood, leaving the nurse to bring the new parents out of the delivery room. Once in the smaller room of the regular hospital Fred took the sleeping baby from his mother’s arms and placed him in the small basinet next to the bed. Not wanting to be apart, Hermione moved over on the bed and Fred lay next to her, pulling her tight against his chest as they watched the baby sleeping besides them.

A few minutes later Fred glanced down and saw that Hermione’s eyes were closed in sleep. Smiling he smoothed her hair back before laying his head down next to hers and breathing in the familiar scent of her. He closed his eyes and gripped her tighter and let himself be claimed by sleep.

\- -

They were woken early by Draco stopping in for a final exam before the end of his shift. Deeming Hermione and the baby fit he congratulated them once again before leaving the room. Hermione reached over and picked up the sleeping baby from the bassinet beside them. Fred sat up next to her and watched as she gently kissed the downy hair of the tiny baby. They both looked up in surprise as the door to the room opened again and Draco poked his blond head in.

“There’s a hoard of red heads out here if you’re interested in visitors. Otherwise I can send them home for now.” He and Hermione both knew the rules on the amount of people allowed to visit at once but both of them had been known to ignore them.

“It’s okay.” Hermione said as Fred slid out of bed.

A mass of people seemed to squeeze through the door at once to come to stand at the foot of the bed. Mrs. Weasley came around to coo at the sleeping baby and hug her own son tightly. The rest of the family congratulated the new parents and got their own look at the new addition.

“So what’s his name?” George asked as he looked at his new nephew, after he had given his twin a hard hug.

Hermione looked up at Fred as he sat down on the bed next to her. They smiled at each other before looking down at the baby, “His name is Leo Oliver.”


	34. Fireworks

Five years later, Hermione and Fred walked through the front door of their house with a different bundle in her arms. 

“Mum! Dad!” Came a cry of joy as their eldest son, Leo ran towards them from the living room. His unruly brown hair fell across his forehead as he soared towards them. Fred scooped the five-year-old up in his arms and spun him for a second while Hermione laughed from beside them, stepping out of the way of his flying feet. 

“Can I see?” The little boy asked as he bent towards Hermione in his father’s arms. Clearly the entrance of his parents was nothing compared to what he really wanted. 

“Wait for your sister.” Fred said as they made their way into the kitchen where Ginny was fixing dinner for all of the kids. Her own children; seven year old James, 5 year old Albus and three year old Lily were all sitting at the table coloring. Another little girl with bright red, curly hair sat with her cousins, confined by the straps of her high chair. At two years old, their daughter was the carbon copy of her father and the little girl screeched when she saw her parents. Fred finally had the chance to use the name he had been hoarding since Leo’s birth as he stuck with a girl for his bet. Luckily it was not Brunhilde or Olga like he had suggested, instead he chose Winifred Jean. 

Hermione walked over to the table and brushed a kiss over her daughter’s forehead. Fred came behind her and scooped the red head up out of the chair into his other arm, “Hi Winnie Pooh.” He said as he bussed his daughter’s cheek with the stubble on his chin, still present from the long few days in the hospital. He had been happily introduced to the muggle children’s cartoon after revealing his name choice to Hermione. 

Winnie laughed loudly at the antics of her father before the bundle in her mother’s arms caught her attention and she quieted, stared with her wide, deep blue eyes. “That's Mummy’s baby.” She said matter of factly, having heard about the new addition for months. 

Hermione chuckled as Fred came to stand next to her so the two children could see their new sibling. The baby in her arms was just as soft and warm as the other two had felt and she forgot how much she missed having one in her arms. 

“Leo, Winnie, this is your brother Ellis.” The youngest Granger-Weasley had made his unexpected entrance a few days before the end of summer while the whole family was on vacation in Ireland. Fred and Hermione had made their way back early to the hospital to avoid welcoming the new arrival in a tent, while Auntie Ginny and Uncle Harry had taken over care of the two other little kids. It seemed like the boys of the family enjoyed arriving early while Winnie had taken her sweet time making an entrance. 

Hermione looked down at the baby in her arms, marveling at the dark brown wisps of hair and brown eyes that blinked sleepily back at her. If Winnie was Fred’s copy than this little boy was hers. He had been an unexpected surprise after she and Fred had decided that two kids might be their limit, she could still picture the shocked look on Fred’s face when she had told him the news of their impending newcomer, but now she couldn’t imagine life without him. 

Already bored with his baby brother, Leo turned to his father, “Can we do the fireworks?” The eager look in his eyes made his parents grin at each other. 

Fred put his son down on the ground as the little boy looked up at him, “Remember what I said about fireworks when the baby got home?” 

“That we would set off so many to celebrate!” Leo said gleefully. Hermione widened her eyes at Fred, who was grinning widely at her. She had half expected her son to say something along the lines of how they had to keep quiet so Ellis could sleep. She shouldn’t have been surprised at the real answer given her crazy family. 

“Boom!” Winnie yelled out from Fred’s arms as she threw up her hands, hitting her father in the cheek. It was clear that they were raising a couple of pyrotechnics but they truly shouldn’t be surprised given their lineage. Between their kids and George’s, Hogwarts would be a never-ending spectacle. Ginny laughed at the scene between them, knowing that her own kids were not any better.

“How about I take this one while you entertain these guys.” Hermione said to her husband. 

Leo whooped at his mother’s words and sprinted towards the back of the house and out the door to the garden, dragging his cousins along with him as he went. Fred watched them go and shifted Winnie in his arms, “Looks like it’s just you and me, Win.” However she disagreed with that plan as she started to wriggle to be put down so she could awkwardly run after her brother. 

“You know we did something right when they love fireworks more than us.” Fred said as he gave a quick kiss to Hermione and then one to his now sleeping son. 

“Now if only fireworks could babysit.” She said back to him. Seeing the fun twinkling in Fred’s eyes she grinned at him, “We’ll be watching. Make his first show good.” 

He kissed her cheek before joining the children outside who were now crowded around his workshop in the garden outside. Unlocking the door he pulled out a few of his favorites, as well as Hermione’s before letting each kid pick out one, strategically hiding the really big ones on a high shelf. As he set them up in the yard, he glanced back up towards the house. Through one of the large windows on the second floor, he could see Hermione standing in the nursery, talking to baby Ellis as she pointed to things in the yard. The site was one he had seen many times with each baby that inhabited the nursery, then they grew too quickly into toddlers, with their noses pressed against the very same glass. 

He waved up to her and she smiled back at him, tilting the baby up in her arms so he could barely see that the little eyes were open. It still amazed him how far their lives had come in the past seven years. Their smart, mischievous, beautiful children were the perfect blend of him and Hermione, and he still could not believe his luck. He never would have guessed that this is where his life would end up; from pining after a girl he never thought he could have, to living a magical life with her. 

After instructing the kids to their usual spot he lit the fuse on the long line of fireworks, standing back to enjoy the show with Ginny. Screams of delight filled the air as the first bright burst of light filled the sky. He could tell which kid had picked out each one as they were the ones he and George had specially made for them; every new kid in the family got a dedicated firework. Leo’s was a bright red and gold burst of light, indicative of the Hogwart’s house for who’s mascot his name represented. Winnie’s was bright blue and crackled with flashes of white light as it showered down around them. Through the window he could see the smile widen on Hermione’s face as her own favorite firework went off, the cascades of gold light sparkling in the evening air. 

As the grand finale came about, he waited with anticipation, having worked on the next firework for the past few months. As the fuse got to the end a sharp burst of light flew up into the air with a whistle, before exploding in a dazzling display of a rainbow of crackling colors. The bright lights stalled for a minute as they crackled, lighting up the entire backyard before they faded into darkness. 

The silence following the display was quickly broken by the cheers from the kids around him who had clearly enjoyed the display as much as he had. He looked over quickly to Hermione and saw that she was grinning widely at the group below before turning away from the widow and out of site. 

Ginny came over to him bumped him with her shoulder. “Very nice. I don’t think you can top that last one.”

Fred grinned down at his sister. “Good thing Ellis is one hundred percent our last one.” 

She laughed as they watched the kids now running about the yard to pick up the debris left behind. “I think I remember you saying that after Winnie.” Their eyes followed the little girl in question who was trying to run after her older cousins but her legs weren’t quiet long enough to keep up. Fred grinned as he watched his daughter trip on her own feet and plop down in the grass. 

“We should probably head out,” Ginny said looking up at the dark sky. “I packed Leo and Win’s bags so they should be good to go. Hopefully you guys get some semblance of sleep tonight.” 

“Thanks Ginny. We appreciate it as always. We’ll be sure to repay the favor when you and Harry have another one.” He grinned at the face she made before calling to the kids and heading back towards the house. Hermione had come down to the first floor and she pulled both of her kids into an embrace and made them laugh as she peppered their faces with kisses. Fred said his own good byes and watched with a smile as Ginny and the kids disappeared. 

After they left Hermione let out a long sigh and turned into Fred’s arms, burying her face in his chest. After seven years they still fit together perfectly and Fred dropped his chin to the top of her head. 

“Tired?”

She snorted against him, “Tired doesn’t begin to cover it.” 

“Ginny seems to think we are going to have a million more children.” He smiled slightly, thinking of his sister’s teasing. 

Hermione pulled back and stared at him with wide eyes, “We can have a million children as soon as they figure out how to get men to give birth. But until then, we are sticking with three.” 

Thinking of their newest addition in the abnormal quiet of the house, he suddenly missed his son very much. Tugging at her hand they made their way upstairs to the nursery and entered the darkened room to stand over the same crib that had held each of their kids. The one in question was swaddled in a dark blue material, his little lips moving as he slept. Hermione wrapped her arms around Fred’s waist as they stood by the crib, looking down at their son. 

“Look at him,” Fred whispered. “How could you not want a few more? They’re so cute.” 

“You push an eight pound baby out of your own body and then you can talk to me about how cute they are.” She whispered back, nudging him with her shoulder. However he was right, the newest addition made her heart ache and she reached out to softly run a finger over his cheek. The baby turned into her touch, making her smile. 

After a few more minutes of silence, Hermione felt her eyes drooping and she looked down once more at the baby before walking back out of the room. Fred followed her and cast a quick spell over the crib that would wake them if Ellis woke up. Back in their own bedroom Hermione kneaded her lower back as she walked towards her dresser to change into her most comfortable pair of pajamas. She lay back with a sigh on their bed and closed her eyes, feeling the dip of the mattress next to her as Fred joined her. 

“What are you thinking?” He asked as he lay next to her, playing with a curl of her hair. 

She opened her eyes and turned her head towards him. It was hard to tell that he was almost 31 years old by just looking at him, the dark blue eyes still held the same twinkle of mischief that they had when he was a kid. He went through phases of wearing a beard and he was currently on an off phase, but the stubble over his chin and cheeks suggested he might be rotating. She reached out to the stubble and ran the backs of her fingers over it before rolling to face him. 

“That I love you. And not just for your skill with firework creation, though I have to admit it was your best yet. 

He chuckled and swung an arm over her waist, pulling her close. “Had to go out with a bang if this is the last kid.” 

She furrowed her brows slightly and pulled back, “That’s the second time you’ve mentioned not having more kids since we got home. I’m starting to think you regret our decision to be done. Do you want more?” 

He looked surprised at her question and thought about it. They had decided even before they knew about Ellis that two was enough, and now they had three. But with three he felt absolutely complete, like there was nothing else in his life that he needed. He leaned forward to kiss her, “I couldn’t think of a single thing that would made me happier than I am right now. I have everything I could have ever dreamed of. But that being said, if we ever decide to add to the madhouse then we can. But that’s a decision for another day.” 

She smiled slightly, feeling the exact same way, and moved closer to him on the bed to tuck herself against him. Sleep came quickly to her in the quiet house, lulled by the gentle strokes of his hand up and down her back. Fred watched the peace that came over her face as she slept. He meant was he had said to her, he couldn’t imagine anything else in his life that would make him happier than he was right now. 

He ran his hand through her curly hair and marveled at how she could still look the same as she had five years and three kids ago. Her smooth skin was unmarred even after their many adventures together. His hand ran down the curves of her side and over the small residual swell of her abdomen that was the only indicator of the baby that had resided there two days ago. She was the strongest women he knew, something only confirmed by watching her fight through yet another birth. He sighed and closed his own eyes, burying his nose in her hair before slipping into sleep himself. 

\- - 

They were jolted out of sleep a few hours later by the sharp crying of the baby in the next room. Hermione groaned and ran a hand over her eyes, trying to clear the sleep from her eyes. Fred stopped her before she got out of bed, “I’ll get him.” 

She fell back on the bed while Fred sleepily stumbled across the room and out the door. He returned a minute later holding the loud bundle, bouncing in his step. The room was lit only by a sliver of moonlight that fell across the carpet on the floor, no toys were present currently, likely thanks to Auntie Ginny. Hermione scooted up in the bed and held out her arms for the infant as Fred reached her, bringing him to her breast once she had him. The room fell silent once again and she leaned her head back against the headboard and closed her eyes at the familiar sensation. Fred returned to his spot next to her and flopped down on the bed. 

“Is it too late to return him?” She sighed. The constant fatigue that they had experienced with Leo and Winnie was starting to rear its ugly head again. 

“Just a few more years and we can ship them all off the Hogwarts. Finally have some peace and quiet again.” His voice was muffled against the pillow he currently had his face emerged in. 

She opened her eyes and smiled down at him, “Oh please, you live for this chaos. You’ll be a blubbering mess when Leo leaves.” 

He turned his head to look up at her, “I’ve already decided that I’m going back with them. They need someone there to teach them the real lessons in life.” 

Hermione thought back to his elaborate early departure from the school and knew that the “real lessons” weren’t any that she paid head to in school. Thinking of how much their kids already took after Fred made her feel very sympathetic towards her mother-in-law. Having kept in touch with the headmistress of Hogwarts, she imagined how Professor McGonagall must have balked at the news of all the Weasley/Potter/Grange children that would be joining her in a few years. 

Soon the baby’s mouth unclasped and he breathed deeply in sleep. Hermione got out of bed to return him to his crib, taking a moment to look out into the moonlit yard below from the window. Movement near the edge of the lawn caught her eye and she watched in silence as a small deer crept into the open space, walking tentatively as its ears swiveled. She watched the peaceful animal for a few minutes before it disappeared at the other end of the lawn. 

As she made her way back to bed, she instinctively looked into the other two rooms on the floor, shaking her head at the mass of toys on both floors. The rooms that had stood empty when they had first move in were now filled with the lives of her older kids. When she reached their room she checked the window again before crawling back under the sheets next to Fred. The night surrounding them in a shroud of darkness and they slept, at least for a few hours.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I need your opinions on if this is a satisfying ending or do you want more? Never expected it to get this far in the first place so am open to suggestions :)


	35. Epilogue Revised

Hermione giggled as Fred pulled her close to him and wrapped his arms around her waist, leaning down to whisper in her ear. His suggestion of what they were going to do later would have made her blush if they hadn’t been married for sixteen years already. His breath was warm against her ear and she turned to kiss his cheek. 

“You guys, really? We’re at the station.” Leo said as he rolled his eyes. They both looked up and laughed at their oldest son’s exclamation of disgust for his parent’s public display of affection.

Hermione turned to the teenager and smiled brightly, pulling him into a hug as she loudly exclaimed how he was still her baby boy and how much she was going to miss him. Leo tried to escape from her grasp but Fred could see the effort he was making to hide a smile. He was tall and muscular like his father and stood almost a foot taller than Hermione. Fred was right when he guessed that their first born would be a beater as Leo had proven to be very apt on the Quidditch pitch. 

After thoroughly embarrassing their oldest, Hermione released him and patted his cheek. “Don’t mess with me kid.” 

Leo grinned at them before going off to join his friends, which included his cousin Albus who was polite enough to wave to his aunt and uncle. Contrary to his namesake, Leo had been the first grandchild in the family to be placed anywhere other than Gryffindor. Hermione thought that Mrs. Weasley was going to have a heart attack when he had written home with the news of his sorting into Ravenclaw. Hermione wasn’t surprised in the slightest though, he was the most insightful of their three kids and actually thought things through, unlike his siblings. At sixteen he was alredy itching to be done with school so he could start working “in the real world” as he liked to call it. 

“Well there’s Al. That must mean Harry and Ginny are… There!” Fred pointed out as the couple walked towards them. Hermione could see the red hair of both Ginny and Lily through the steam of the train engines. Winnie jumped up from sitting on her trunk to go and greet her fellow fire-haired Gryffindor. The two fourteen year olds immediately fell into conversation and giggles, likely about the boy in their house whose name Fred had been trying to coax out of his daughter all summer. 

“Mum.” Came a quiet voice form her side and Hermione looked down at their youngest son. Ellis was truly a carbon copy of her with his slight frame and deep brown hair and eyes. He was loud and rambunctious like his siblings at home but had his moments of shyness. He was currently looking around the platform in both awe and terror which surprised her as he had been coming here for the past five years to see his siblings off. The prospect of it being his turn must be getting to him. 

“What’s wrong?” She asked as she bent so they were eye to eye. 

He was chewing his lip slightly, something Hermione recognized as her own nervous habit. “What if I didn’t go to Hogwarts?” His gaze fell to the ground as he spoke. 

Surprised at the question she reached out to put her hand on his shoulder. “What do you mean?” 

The boy shrugged and glanced sideways where his brother was now loudly joking with Albus about the upcoming Quiddich season. “What if I didn’t go? I mean you and dad could just teach me everything at home. And I could help out at the shop all year then and dad could teach me potions and charms there!” He clearly had been thinking this through, which surprised Hermione given how excited he had been all summer about finally going to Hogwarts. 

“Ellis why don’t you want to go?” She asked softly. 

He sighed and shuffled his feet a bit before looking up at her. “I don’t want to be alone. I don’t know anyone in my year.”

Hermione smiled slightly and did feel somewhat bad for the boy. With the massive amount of grandchildren the Weasley’s had accumulated there were almost always multiples within the school years. Leo was with Albus and Louis, Fleur and Bill’s youngest son, and Winnie had Lily and Hugo, Cho and Ron’s oldest. There was no other family members in Ellis’s year and Hermione understood how he must feel now at the prospect of being along, having grown up with a great number of other kids surrounding him. 

“You know what?” She asked as she glanced over at Fred who was watching them with a question in his eyes. “I didn’t know anyone my first year either.” 

Ellis rolled his eyes, “Yeah Mum, but you had Uncle Harry and Uncle Ron with you. I have no one.” 

She laughed slightly at his tone and shook her head. “Darling, I didn’t meet them until I was actually at Hogwarts. I was from a muggle family who hadn’t even known magic existed until I got my letter. I knew no one and had absolutely no friends or family to be there with me.” 

She paused and raised her eyebrows at her son who was about to interrupt her again. “BUT, I did find your uncles, just like you will find your own friends. And I’m pretty sure you won’t have to battle a troll for yours.” 

He looked confused at this and she laughed at the memory. “Ellis you have one of the best advantages out of everyone else. You have the opportunity to go out on your own, to have adventures that maybe you may not have if your cousins would have been in your year. You are the bravest and kindest person I know and that’s all you really need to make friends.”

He seemed to be mulling over her words. “Besides, you have family in almost every other year. You are never truly alone.” She leaned forward to kiss his cheek, something he had been less and less willing to let her do as he got older. He stepped back with an exclamation, rubbing at his cheek and glaring up at her. 

“Not here, Mum!” 

She grinned down at him as he looked around to make sure no one else was watching them, not that he should have cared given the blubbering parents around them. Fred came to stand next to them as the train whistle sounded a warning and put his arm around Ellis’s shoulders. 

“Alright, that’s you. Now you’ve got everything?” The boy nodded with a small grin. “And you got my letter to Professor McGonagall?” Another nod. Fred leaned down and spoked directly into the boys ear, Hermione unable to hear over the noise around them. The boy grinned brightly and nodded again at his father. 

“All right then, I’d say you’re ready.” Fred pulled the boy to him in a hug, not willing to let go until Ellis started to wriggle in his arms. It was Hermione’s turn next and she smiled as her youngest squeezed her tight. She kissed the top of his head before pulling back. 

“You’ll remember to write to us right after you find out?” He nodded and she cupped his cheek with a smile. Another whistle sounded and she hugged him again before releasing him into the crowd. Leo and Winnie ran by with their own trunks, pausing briefly to say good-bye to their parents and promise to look after Ellis. 

Fred slung his arm around her shoulders as they watched all three of their kids board the train. Ellis was visible through one of the front car windows and Hermione smiled slightly as she watched him greet some of the kids already sitting there. He caught her eye out the window and smiled at her as she waved. 

Then after a few more minutes more, the train was lurching forward and she could see flashes of bright red hair in the windows of several cars that passed them. 

“It’s like the Weasley’s have taken over Hogwarts.” She said over her shoulder to Fred who was waving with the rest of the parents. 

“Always knew that it would happen eventually, McGonagall will be thrilled.” He said back over the grinding of the wheels. 

As the train disappeared from view, Harry and Ginny came over to stand near them. “Ellis get off okay?” Ginny asked. 

“Not without a bit of nerves but we smoothed things over. I can’t wait to find out where he’ll be sorted. I think he has been the hardest to guess.” 

“Shall we make some bets?” Fred asked with a grin, knowing the tradition for the parents when each kid started. Each of them said their guess, Hermione staring thoughtfully in the direction of the departing train. 

“So anyone for drinks at the Leaky Cauldron?” Harry asked as they watched the rest of the parents and younger children start to disburse. 

“Well, we..” Hermione said sheepishly with a small smile up at Fred who looked back at her with a slight twinkle in his eyes. She thought about his earlier suggestions and didn’t exactly want to make a pit stop. 

Ginny laughed and nudged Harry in the arm. “They just sent their last one off to Hogwarts Harry. You remember how we were after Lily, I think there are other things on their minds.” 

Harry looked at Ginny in confusion at first before the realization of her words caught up with him and his eyes widened. “There are just some things I don’t care to think about.” He said with a shake of his head. 

Hermione and Fred smirked at each other before saying good-bye to Ginny and apparating home. They appeared in their living room that was still a mess with things strewn about from the mad frenzy of packing that had, for some reason occurred at the last minute. She sighed at the book that bent under her foot and turned to Fred, “This is your fault you know.” 

He looked at her appalled and quickly kicked a random firecracker out of sight before Hermione could see, knowing the rest were safely packed away in Ellis’s trunk. “Please Granger, we both know where they get their disorganization from and it certainly isn’t me.” 

Rolling her eyes she made her way through the mess into the kitchen, returning with a bottle of Fire Whiskey. “If we have to clean we may as well make it fun.” She said with a smile as she unscrewed the bottle and took a draw from it. Her pinched face made Fred laugh as she handed him the bottle. 

They spent the next few hours righting the room, picking up books, tossing clothes into a pile on the couch and attempting to figure out whose socks were whose, which became funnier then more they drank. 

Fred held up a bright pink pair of low-rise socks and looked over to Hermione with what sounded like a giggle. “Think these will fit?” 

Hermione laughed and reached out to snatch it from him, “We should send it to Leo with our first letter.” 

Fred widened his eyes at her genius before laughing loudly, pulling her down on the couch with him. Hermione feeling her head spin as the ache in her side set in. After a few minutes their laughing died down and the looked around the oddly silent house. For the past sixteen years the house had been alive with children and magic, never a dull moment in the Granger-Weasley household. 

Hermione leaned her head against Fred’s shoulder as he took her hand in his. “I miss them.” She said with a sigh. 

Fred turned to kiss her hair, “Me too. But,” he started with a lint to his voice that made Hermione turn and look up at him. “Think of all the fun activities we can do now that their gone.” He raised his eyebrows at her as he spoke. 

Slowly she met his grin and turned on the couch so that she was on her knees. “Like this?” She said as she leaned forward to cover her mouth with his, tasting the heat of the whiskey on his tongue. He groaned against her lips as his hands fell to her waist. “Or this?” She slid her mouth along his jaw to his neck, finding the sensitive spot that she knew made him shiver under her touch. 

He shifted suddenly and pulled her closer, moving until she was straddling his lap. It still amazed her the desire they felt for each other even after all the years of being together. He brought her mouth back down to his as her hands went to his hair. She laughed at his groan when she rotated her hips above his. 

Pulling back she grinned at him, “Maybe we should take this upstairs.” 

His hands went under her shirt around her back to unclasp her bra and he laughed slightly, “There aren’t any kids around love. We can do this where ever we want.” 

His words sunk in and she slowly grinned at him before hungrily meeting his lips again. This was definitely going to be a good year, she thought as he flipped them on the couch and began to work at the button on her jeans. 

\- - 

A few hours later, they lay on the floor of the living room, breathless. Their stamina had definitely not been a victim to time as the years had passed. Hermione shifted and reached behind her back, pulling out a quill that had been poking her in the back. She and Fred started to laugh at the sight and she turned to curl up against him. 

“We should have sent them off a long time ago,” Fred said as he wrapped an arm around her. “They’re all smart enough, they would have been fine.” 

Hermione chuckled and thought of how much she missed them already and it had only been a day. “Unfortunately they do come back for the summers, though I’m sure we could convince them that the Burrow would be more fun to stay at.” 

“Mum would be pleased enough.” Fred said as his hand lazily ran up and down her side. 

“Yes but who would be around to do all of the chores?” She said, looking up at him. 

“Ugh, you’re right.” He said with a sigh, rolling so that he was on top of her again. With a sly grin he slowly slid down her body. “Guess we’d better enjoy the time while we can.” 

His mouth was just about on her when a sharp hoot came from the back porch, making both of them jump as they looked up at the grey bird. 

“That’ll be from them!” Hermione said excitedly as she scooted out from under Fred and got to her feet, laughing at the defeated look on his face as he rolled to his back. “Come on.” She pulled him up by his hands before they made their way to the back. 

The little grey owl Winnie had named piglet was perched on the railing of the outside deck, waiting patient with a letter in his mouth. Hermione took it from him and broke the seal, scanning the bottom to see who it was from. 

“Who’d we get?” Fred asked, leaning over her shoulder. 

“Leo. Seems Ellis was too busy with his new house to be bothered to write to us.” She smiled at the description Leo gave of their youngest son being immersed by people he was already calling his friends. 

Her eyes slid down the page further and she grinned widely waiting for Fred to catch up. When he finally got to the point in the letter where the house was named and he gave a short laugh in surprise. “Well I can’t say that I’m completely shocked. Guess Mum will finally have an excuse to knit a different colored sweater for Christmas.” 

Hermione smiled at the thought of the black and yellow sweater their youngest would be sporting in a few months. 

“So who won the bet?” He asked as she put the letter down and turned into his embrace. He had guessed Gryffindor himself. 

Hermione smiled up at him triumphantly, “That, Frederick Weasley, would be me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's all folks! Thanks to everyone for reading and commenting! As soon as I think of another storyline I'll probably be writing another Fremione fic (just cant get enough!) so check back soon!

**Author's Note:**

> AU obviously where Fred lives after the battle of Hogwarts! Purely to satisfy my own longing of him and Hermione finally discovering they are perfect for eachother which I've known since GOF ;)  
> My first fanfic so please forgive any possible discrepancies from the books, just fangirling it over here :)


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